Accident Rpt# CEN12LA678 09/26/2012 1815 EDT Regis# N70319 Merrill, MI Apt: Private Residence NONE Acft Mk/Mdl INFINITY 2003 Acft SN ALLJOM Acft Dmg: SUBSTANTIAL Rpt Status: Factual Prob Caus: Pending Eng Mk/Mdl ROTAX 582 Acft TT 130 Fatal 0 Ser Inj 0 Flt Conducted Under: FAR 091 Opr Name: WILLIAM D. LINDSAY On September 26, 2012, about 1815 central daylight time, an Infinity 2003, N70319, struck trees during takeoff from a private airstrip in Merrill, Michigan. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The powered parachute aircraft was substantially damaged. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight was originating from at the time of the accident. According to the pilot's written statement, he began his takeoff roll from the runway midpoint at his private airstrip and failed to clear trees at the departure end, resulting in what he described as a forced landing. FAA was notified on October 31, and an inspector went to the scene on November 6, 2012. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was notified of the accident on November 7, 2012. Photographs revealed the powered parachute had sustained substantial damage. The entire engine mount and parachute attachment truss structure was deformed. One of the truss members was fractured. The FAA inspector advised that the aircraft's airworthiness certificate had expired, and the pilot did not have a current flight review. Page 1 Copyright 1999, 2012,
Accident Rpt# WPR12LA149 03/29/2012 1835 PDT Regis# NONE Indio, CA Acft Mk/Mdl POWRACHUTE SKY RASCAL Acft SN None Acft Dmg: SUBSTANTIAL Rpt Status: Factual Prob Caus: Pending Eng Mk/Mdl ROTAX 503 Fatal 0 Ser Inj 1 Flt Conducted Under: FAR 091 Opr Name: PAUL HARRISON Aircraft Fire: GRD AW Cert: SPX On March 29, 2012, about 1835 Pacific daylight time, an unregistered Powrachute Sky Rascal experimental powered parachute sustained substantial damage following a collision with powerlines during initial climb near Indio, California. The non-certificated pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and a flight plan was not filed. The aircraft departed a private strip about 2 minutes prior to the accident. In a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the non-certificated pilot reported that he waited for the wind to subside down before taking off. The pilot stated that after taking off either a downdraft or a gust of wind blew him into a set of powerlines, in to which the aircraft became entangled. The pilot revealed that he eventually jumped to the ground, but was not sure if the aircraft was on fire or not when he jumped. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft. When asked if he was a licensed pilot, he said he wasn't, and when asked why he had not registered the aircraft, he replied that he didn't think that he needed to, as it was exempt, but that he could not remember "how that worked." Subsequent attempts to interview the pilot during the course of the investigation were not successful, as he was moved to an assisted living facility due to the extent of his injuries. Additionally, the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1, was not obtained during the investigation, due to the pilot's incapacitated condition. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, after the aircraft was inspected to determine if it was in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 103, the regulation that governs ultralight vehicles, it was discovered that the stock 5 gallon fuel tank had been replaced with a 10 gallon tank, and that the stock 407 engine had been replaced with a heavier 503 engine, which put the weight of the aircraft outside of the FAR 103 limits. The aircraft would then be required to be certificated. When the inspector confronted the accident pilot about the modifications, the pilot stated that he was unaware of them and blamed the individual who sold him the aircraft. According to the inspector, when the previous owner was interviewed he stated that he had made no modifications to the aircraft, and that the only thing he changed prior to its sale was the propeller. At 1852, the automated weather reporting system at the Jacqueline Cockran Regional Airport (TRM), which was located about 8 nautical miles south-southeast of the accident site, reported wind calm, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 25 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 4 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.81 inches of mercury. Page 2 Copyright 1999, 2012,
Accident Rpt# CEN12LA530 08/07/2012 1620 CDT Regis# N151TA Oshkosh, WI Apt: Wittman Regional Airport KOSH Acft Mk/Mdl WILLIAMS JOHN T-51 MUSTANG Acft SN Acft Dmg: SUBSTANTIAL Rpt Status: Factual Prob Caus: Pending Eng Mk/Mdl HONDA J35A6 Fatal 0 Ser Inj 1 Flt Conducted Under: FAR 091 Opr Name: WILLIAMS JOHN D On August 7, 2012, about 1620 central daylight time a Williams T-51 Mustang airplane, N151TA, conducted a forced landing at the Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot was seriously injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a test flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight which operated without a visual flight rules flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to the pilot, the purpose of the test flight was to trouble-shoot the lower engine power and higher than expected operating temperatures encountered during the previous test flight. After takeoff, the airplane was not performing as expected and the engine was slowly losing power. The pilot observed that the coolant temperature was 225 degrees and the airplane was only 250 to 300 feet above ground level. The pilot communicated with air traffic control that he wanted to return to the airport and started a turn. During the turn, the pilot heard and felt an explosion behind him and felt a burning sensation on his back. The pilot lost all forward visibility as the windscreen was black with smoke, but he was able to see a small amount out the left side of the windscreen. The pilot stated that he continued to try and fly the airplane, though he was limited by the inability to see outside of the airplane and the pain associated with the burning sensation on the left side of his body. The pilot extended the landing gear and conducted a forced landing in the grass, just short of the general aviation ramp. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who traveled to the accident scene, the right main landing gear collapsed during the forced landing. The airplane continued an additional 300 feet before coming to rest. The left wing and left flap were wrinkled during the forced landing. The airplane was recovered and relocated to the owner's hangar in Ohio for further examination. The FAA inspector who provided oversight for the examination reported that there were no negative properties or operational failures observed during the testing of the cooling system. The number four spark plug was severely damaged. According to the pilot, an examination of the engine revealed no further anomalies. The pilot added that a cooling hose separated from the radiator which was located behind him. The radiator and cooling lines had not been boxed in, which would isolate the cooling system from the cockpit. Several days prior to the accident flight, the engine and cooling system operated at a higher than normal power setting and coolant temperature. After the flight, the coolant temperature reached the maximum range of 250 degrees Fahrenheit and coolant purged itself from the system. On a subsequent flight, the coolant temperature gauge did not function and shortly after takeoff the pilot observed smoke in the cockpit. As the pilot returned to the airport to land, he noticed that the engine oil temperature was high and the oil pressure was low. An examination revealed an oil leak between the cylinder head and the engine block. Following this flight, a replacement engine was installed; however, the cooling system was not replaced. Page 3 Copyright 1999, 2012,
Accident Rpt# ERA13FA109 01/12/2013 1529 EST Regis# N829GS Sarasota, FL Apt: Sarasota/bradenton Intl SRQ Acft Mk/Mdl BENTON FRED D SEAWIND 3000 Acft SN 20 Acft Dmg: DESTROYED Rpt Status: Prelim Prob Caus: Pending Eng Mk/Mdl LYCOMING IO-540 SER Fatal 2 Ser Inj 0 Flt Conducted Under: FAR 091 Opr Name: JOHN W. ARDOYNO Aircraft Fire: GRD On January 12, 2013, about 1529 eastern standard time, a Benton Seawind 3000, N829GS, was destroyed following a collision with trees and terrain after takeoff from Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), Sarasota, Florida. The commercial pilot and one pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to a corporation and was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. A witness was in his automobile on 15th Street, on the east side of SRQ, and watched the airplane takeoff on runway 22. He reported that the takeoff roll seemed longer than normal, and the airplane climbed slowly. As the airplane approached trees located past the runway, it "pancaked" into the trees without rolling right or left. He then saw a plume of smoke and realized the airplane had crashed. The airplane struck three tall pine trees on the campus of New College of Florida before impacting terrain and coming to a stop. The airplane was consumed in a post-crash fire. The main wreckage was located about 0.3 nautical miles beyond the departure end of runway 22. The length of the wreckage debris field was about 300 feet in length and oriented on a heading of 240 degrees. The fuselage was found inverted. According to air traffic control personnel, the pilot departed the airport under visual flight rules and did not make a distress call before the accident. According to local maintenance personnel, the airplane had been at SRQ since September, 2012. The accident pilot was involved in an emergency landing in the accident airplane; he landed in the Indian River Lagoon, near Sebastian Inlet, Florida, following a loss of engine power. According to the aircraft records, a fuel injector line was subsequently replaced because of a broken fitting. Also, the propeller and propeller governor were overhauled during maintenance unrelated to the engine problem. Reportedly, this was the first flight for the airplane since the maintenance work was completed. Page 4 Copyright 1999, 2012,
Accident Rpt# CEN11LA464 07/07/2011 1800 EDT Regis# N7808M East Liverpool, OH Apt: Columbiana County Airport 02G Acft Mk/Mdl BURTNER CHARLES W DERJAGER D IX Acft SN 97 Acft Dmg: SUBSTANTIAL Rpt Status: Factual Prob Caus: Pending Eng Mk/Mdl LYCOMING O-290 Acft TT 50 Fatal 0 Ser Inj 1 Flt Conducted Under: FAR 091 Opr Name: RONALD R. HIRKALA AW Cert: SPE On July 7, 2011, about 1800 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built Burtner Derjager D IX, N7808M, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing after an aborted landing from runway 7 at the Columbiana County Airport, East Liverpool, Ohio. The pilot received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to an individual and operated by a commercial pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed for the flight which was not operating on a flight plan. The local flight originated about 1730. The pilot reported that he had purchased the airplane several months prior to the accident and had made modifications to the cockpit to provide more room. He stated that he had discussed the flight characteristics of the airplane with the previous owner on several occasions. On the day of the accident, the pilot performed high-speed taxi tests on runway 25. On the third high-speed taxi test, he pulled the airplane into the air. The pilot reported that the airplane had a positive rate of climb and that the controls were sensitive. He stated that he made several touch and goes during the flight. During the final touch and go, the airplane porpoised and the landing gear struck the runway hard. The pilot applied power and aborted the landing. When the airplane was about 100 feet above the ground, the propeller disintegrated and the engine began to vibrate violently. The pilot reported that he pulled the throttle control back and looked for a place to land. He stated that he had no further recollection of the accident. Page 5 Copyright 1999, 2012,
Accident Rpt# WPR12LA146 03/24/2012 1530 PDT Regis# N238RV Bow, WA Acft Mk/Mdl JACOBS RV-6A Acft SN 23880 Acft Dmg: SUBSTANTIAL Rpt Status: Factual Prob Caus: Pending Eng Mk/Mdl LYCOMING O-360-EXP Acft TT 682 Fatal 0 Ser Inj 0 Flt Conducted Under: FAR 091 Opr Name: RANDALL WATTS AW Cert: SPE HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 24, 2012, about 1530 Pacific daylight time, a Jacobs RV-6A, N238RV, experienced a loss of engine power near Bow, Washington. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane was substantially damaged. The local personal flight departed from Skagit Regional Airport, Burlington, Washington, about 1510, with a planned destination of Bellingham International Airport, Bellingham, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. In a telephone conversation with a National Transportation Safety Board investigator, the pilot reported that he performed two touch-and-go practice takeoffs and landings at Skagit and then departed en route to Bellingham. As the airplane climbed through 2,300 feet mean sea level (msl) to the pilot's planned altitude of 3,000 feet, he heard a loud "clunk." The engine experienced a total loss of power and the airplane began to descend. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to a field in an effort to perform an off-airport, emergency landing. While landing, the airplane's landing gear collided with a barbed wire fence and nosed over. The pilot further stated that just prior to the accident he noted that the right fuel tank was empty and the left tank was about _ full. He believed that the fuel selector was positioned on the left tank. He did not attempt to restart the engine following the loss of power due to the airplane's low altitude. TESTS AND RESEARCH Maintenance personnel reported that prior to transporting the wreckage to the storage facility they had removed approximately 22 gallons of fuel from the left fuel tank and less than a cup from the right fuel tank. During the wreckage examination both fuel tanks were empty and there was no evidence of a fuel system breach or staining that would indicate fuel leakage. The fuel selector was found in the forward "off" position. Air was blown from the fuel selector inlet tubes and flow continuity was established to the wing root fuel lines that connect to the right and left fuel tanks. A small amount of fuel exited the line at both wing roots. Air was also blown from the fuel selector to the carburetor and continuity was confirmed. The gascolator bowl was removed from its attachment point; it was full of a blue liquid consistent with 100LL fuel. The gascolator screen was clear of debris. The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-360 engine. The engine remained attached to the engine mount assembly and firewall with minimal damage noted. Examination of the engine revealed that the engine case and all four cylinders were intact. The accessory gear case and associated accessories were present and there was no evidence of oil leakage. The engine oil sump was intact and contained about 6.25 quarts of oil. The spark plug ignition leads and the top four spark plugs were removed from the engine. The leads were intact and undamaged. The spark plug electrodes were dry and grey in color. As compared to the Champion Check-A-Plug comparison card, the top spark plugs displayed normal operating wear signatures. The engine crankshaft was manually rotated via rotation of the propeller and all four cylinders developed thumb compression. The ignition leads for the top four spark plugs sparked normally when the crankshaft was manually rotated. During the post accident examination, no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane was found. A complete examination report is contained in the public docket for this accident. Page 6 Copyright 1999, 2012,
Accident Rpt# WPR13LA085 01/05/2013 1240 PST Regis# N262NJ Julian, CA Acft Mk/Mdl JEREMIAH JACKSON VANS RV-10 Acft SN 41147 Acft Dmg: SUBSTANTIAL Rpt Status: Prelim Prob Caus: Pending Eng Mk/Mdl LYCOMING IO-540 Fatal 0 Ser Inj 0 Flt Conducted Under: FAR 091 Opr Name: J2ENVIRONMENTAL LLC AW Cert: SPE On January 5, 2013, about 1240 Pacific standard time, an experimental Jeremiah Jackson Vans RV-10, N262NJ, made an off field forced landing near Julian, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage from impact forces. The local personal flight departed Ramona, California, about 1040. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that he was in phase one flight testing; the airplane and engine had a total time of 6 hours. He was about 2 hours into his flight when he observed the oil pressure go down rapidly. He headed toward his home airport, but the engine lost all oil pressure. He landed on a dirt road on top of a ridge, but encountered high vegetation. The rough road conditions resulted in the main landing gear separating from the airframe, and both wings sustained substantial damage. Page 7 Copyright 1999, 2012,
Accident Rpt# CEN12FA579 08/28/2012 949 CDT Regis# N416 Pierre, SD Apt: Pierre Regional Airport KPIR Acft Mk/Mdl LEE PAUL SQ 2000 Acft SN 0007 Acft Dmg: SUBSTANTIAL Rpt Status: Factual Prob Caus: Pending Eng Mk/Mdl CONTINENTAL IO-360 Fatal 1 Ser Inj 0 Flt Conducted Under: FAR 091 Opr Name: PAUL LEE Aircraft Fire: GRD HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 28, 2012, about 0949 central daylight time, a Lee SQ-2000 experimental airplane, N416, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during takeoff from Pierre Regional Airport (KPIR), Pierre, South Dakota. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the flight. No flight plan was filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. On takeoff leg at about 50 feet above the ground, two witnesses observed the left "gull-wing" entrance door to be open and the airplane enter into a series of four up and down pitch oscillations. During the last pitch down oscillation, the airplane impacted the runway at a steep descent angle. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot of N416, age 69, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. On October 5, 2011, the pilot was issued a limited third-class medical certificate, with the limitation that corrective lenses be worn while flying. At the time of the medical examination, the pilot reported having 330 hours of flight experience, with 2 hours in the last six months. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The accident airplane was a KLS Composites (Kit), SQ-2000, which the pilot purchased on December 25, 2001. The airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate on March 18, 2004. During April 2012, the pilot completed the installation of a Continental IO-360C engine. The pilot maintained detailed construction records of the accident airplane, to include construction of the "gull-wing" entrance doors. In these records, the pilot wrote that during flight it was very easy to open the doors and had constructed a door lock "clip" to prevent inadvertent opening of the entrance door closing mechanism. In these records, the pilot also described the aircraft being very pitch sensitive. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION At 0953, the KPIR automated weather observation system reported the following weather conditions: Wind 090 degrees at 8 knots; sky clear; temperature 27 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 17 degrees C; altimeter setting 29.93 inches of mercury. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION Following impact with the runway, the airplane slid to a stop on the edge of the runway and a postimpact fire ensued. The distance from initial runway impact to the main wreckage location was about 500 feet. During examination, the engine crankshaft was rotated and a compression check was confirmed on all cylinders. Propeller impact with the runway resulted in the shredding of over half of the propeller's diameter. Flight control surfaces were accounted for, although flight control continuity could not be confirmed due to impact and fire damage. Examination of the airframe, engine and propeller did not reveal any anomalies associated with a preimpact failure or malfunction. Both "gull-wing" entrance doors separated from the airplane during the impact sequence and were not fire damaged. Examination of the left entrance "gull-wing" door revealed a witness mark corresponding to the door closing mechanism in a "partially closed" position. Extensive fire damage of the fuselage surrounding the left entrance door prevented further analysis of door failure. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION Page 8 Copyright 1999, 2012,
On August 30, 2012, an autopsy was performed on the pilot at the Rapid City, South Dakota Regional Hospital. The cause of death was attributed to blunt force injuries. The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology tests on the pilot. No carbon monoxide, cyanide, or drugs were detected in the blood, and no ethanol was detected in vitreous. Page 9 Copyright 1999, 2012,
Accident Rpt# WPR13FA076 12/29/2012 1014 PST Regis# N5M Lakeside, CA Acft Mk/Mdl MCKENZIE GREG LANCAIR IV-P TURBINE Acft SN LIV-490 Acft Dmg: SUBSTANTIAL Rpt Status: Prelim Prob Caus: Pending Eng Mk/Mdl WALTER M601-EX Fatal 3 Ser Inj 0 Flt Conducted Under: FAR 091 Opr Name: STERN WILLIAM A JR On December 29, 2012, at about 1014 Pacific standard time, a McKenzie, Lancair IV-P turbine, N5M, was substantially damaged following impact with terrain near Lakeside, California. The private pilot and his two passengers were fatally injured. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, which had originated from Montgomery Field, San Diego, California, approximately 9 minutes before the accident. A flight plan had not been filed. The pilot was receiving flight following from an air traffic controller for his flight to Phoenix Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, Arizona. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane coming out of the clouds rotating until it impacted the ground. There was no postimpact fire. Page 10 Copyright 1999, 2012,