Ultralight aircraft accidents, experimental aircraft accidents, light sport aircraft accident reports 3 |
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Controller: "USA353 (sic) contact Cleveland Center 135.60. (pause) Controller: "USA353 contact Cleveland Center 135.60!" (pause) Controller: "USA353 you're just like my wife you never listen!" Pilot: "Center, this is USA553, maybe if you called her by the right name you'd get a better response!" |
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Ultralight Aircraft
Accident Data
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THE ACFT'S ENGINE LOST PWR SHORTLY AFTER T/O AND A FORCED LDG WAS MADE IN SOME SAPLINGS. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE NEGLECTED TO USE THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP DURING THE T/O AND SUBSEQUENT PWR LOSS. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED THE PUMP ON THE HOME-BUILT ACFT FOR USE DURING HOT WX OPS, BECAUSE OF PRIOR PWR LOSSES EXPERIENCED IN HOT WX USING ONLY THE ENGINE DRIVEN PUMP. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE TEMP AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT TO BE 85 DEG F. THE PLT ALSO NOTED THAT THE ACFT FUEL TANK WAS MOUNTED SEVERAL FEET BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE ENGINE, AND THAT AUTOMOTIVE FUEL WAS IN USE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. Probable Cause Aircraft: TERATORN TIERRA 2, registration: N5575Y THE EXPERIMENTAL ACFT WAS LOADED NEAR MAX GROSS WT ON TAKEOFF FROM THE PVT SOD AIRATRIP. THE PLT STATED THE ACFT PERFORMED SLUGGISHLY DURING THE CLIMBOUT FROM THE FIELD. THE PLT STATED THAT ON THE CLIMBOUT THAT HE WAS OVERFLYING A CORN FIELD BORDERING THE STRIP WHEN THE ACFT DESCENDED TOWARD THE CORN DESPITE FULL PWR FROM THE ENG. THE PLT STATED HE INTENTIONALLY STALLED THE ACFT JUST ABOVE THE CORN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND BENEATH THE CORN WHERE IT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PLT STATED HE FELT THAT THE AIR WAS LESS DENSE AS HE OVERFLEW THE CORN AND THIS ROBBED THE ENG OF PWR AND THE WINGS OF SOME LIFT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE MEASUREMENT WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THAT OF FIELD ELEVATION OF 750 FEET. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Accident occurred JUL-20-86 at SUNDANCE, WY THE PLT SAID THAT ON THE FIRST FLIGHT OF N990RE, THE VEHICLE REVEALED SOME UNDESIRABLE FLT CONTROL CHARACTERISTICS. HE SAID THAT AFTER LANDING HE INSTALLED BOTH DOORS AND THEN ATTEMPTED ANOTHER TAKE OFF. IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF THAT THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED HOWEVER, THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Aircraft: JOE ALMON FALCON XP, registration: N548YA WHILE APCHG TO LAND, THE REGISTERED ULTRALIGHT ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT WHICH EXCEEDED ITS CLIMB PERFORMANCE. THE ACFT WAS HEADED TWD POWER LINES, SO THE PLT ELECTED TO FLY UNDER THE LINES. AS THE ULTRALIGHT WAS CROSSING UNDER THE POWER LINES, ONE OF ITS VERTICAL FINS HIT THE BOTTOM CABLE WHICH DISABLED THE ACFT'S LEFT RUDDER CONTROL. THE ACFT TURNED TO THE RGT TWD A HILL & WOULD NOT CLIMB SUFFICIENTLY TO CLEAR OVER TREES. THE PLT INTENTIONALLY ALLOWED THE ACFT TO MUSH INTO THE TREES WHILE HE STILL HAD CONTROL. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Aircraft: EIPPER MXII, registration: N4976X DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE ULTRALIGHT EXPERIENCED AN INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRAG CHUTE ACCOMPANIED BY A FAILURE OF THE DRAG CHUTE TO INFLATE. THIS RESULTED IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. Probable Cause Aircraft: JERRY COX GOLDWING, registration: N85JC THE ACFT WAS CIRCLING A RACETRACK AT A RELATIVELY LOW ALT, DESCRIBED AS BETWEEN 800-1500 FT AGL, WITH THE ENG THROTTLED BACK. DURING A SUBSEQUENT STEEP BANK TO THE LEFT WHILE ACCELERATING THE LEFT WING FAILED AND THE ACFT CRASHED INTO THE TREES. Probable Cause Aircraft: QUICK SILVER MXII, registration: N4410W THE ACFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RWY AFTER LOSING ENG PWR DURING THE APCH. POST ACC INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE BEARING ON THE PWR SHAFT FAILED. THIS ALLOWED THE BELT TENSION TO BECOME SLACK WHICH REDUCED THE PROP RPM. NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. Probable Cause Aircraft: DENNEY AEROCRAFT KITFOX, registration: N85LA SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT HAD A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. THE LEFT WING THEN DIPPED SHARPLY & THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP NOSE LOW DESCENT & CRASHED ON THE NW CORNER OF THE ARPT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED A NOISE SUPPRESSOR WAS INSTALLED ON ONE OF 2 SPARK PLUG WIRES OF THE 2 CYLINDER ENGINE TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE HAND HELD, 2-WAY RADIO. DUE TO A DEFICIENCY IN THE NOISE SUPPRESSOR, THERE WAS NO CONTINUITY IN THAT RESPECTIVE WIRE. Probable Cause Aircraft: AMERICAN AEROLIGHTS FALCON C, registration: N918AA AFTER TAKEOFF THE PLT INITIATED A STEEP NOSE UP LEFT CLIMBING TURN TO APPROXIMATELY 300 FT AGL WHERE THE ACFT STALLED. IT ENTERED A SPIN AND DESCENDED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE UNTIL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE STUDENT PLT WAS FATALLY INJURED. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Aircraft: TURNBLOOM KITFOX, registration: N371DT THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN HE WAS PREPARING FOR THE ACFT'S 1ST TEST FLT, HE MADE A HI SPEED RUN WITH THE TAIL RAISED & ACFT CONTROL WAS GOOD. ON THE NEXT RUN, HE PLANNED TO LET THE ACFT LIFT OFF THE RWY, THEN LET IT SETTLE BACK ON THE SURFACE. HE STATED THAT HE APPLIED FULL THROTTLE, & AFTER THE ACFT ROLLED APRX 100', IT "LIFTED OFF AT A HIGH ANGLE OF CLIMB, FULL FORWARD ELEVATOR & THROTTLE REDUCTION BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT TO LEVEL FLIGHT, 20-30' ABOVE RUNWAY." THE ACFT THEN BGN TO ROLL & SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED DOWN & IMPACTED THE GND ABOUT 75' OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE PLT WAS WEAR- ING A SHOULDER HARNESS & WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED (AFT FUSELAGE/EMPENNAGE BADLY BENT BTN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT & HORIZONTAL STABILIZER). THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF CONTROL WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE STUDENT PLT HAD NO PREVIOUS FLT TIME IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF ACFT & WAS NOT ENDORSED FOR THE FLT. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Aircraft: FISCHER STAR-LITE, registration: N20RF THE OWNER/MANUFACTURER OF THE HOMEBUILT ACFT REPAIRED THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS, THEN ASKED THE DESIGNER TO TEST FLY THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER TAKEOFF, AT AN ALT OF APRX 7,000 FEET MSL, IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE, AT 158 MPH ( 28 MPH GREATER THAN VNE) BOTH HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS SEPARATED. THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED DOWN, AFTER WHICH THE WINGS FAILED NEGATIVELY. THE PILOT PARACHUTED TO THE ROOF OF A HOUSE, THEN WAS PULLED TO THE GROUND WHEN THE CANOPY WAS REINFLATED BY THE WIND. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AND CAME TO REST NEAR A RESIDENCE WITH NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO THE DESIGNER, THE OWNER SHOULD HAVE SEPARATED THE TWO STABILIZERS INTO FOUR SECTIONS, APPLIED EPOXY TO THE INSIDE OF EACH, AS WELL AS TO THE ALUMINUM SPAR, THEN ASSEMBLED THEM. Probable Cause Aircraft: DENNEY KITFOX, registration: N84DD THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING IN THE HOMEBUILT ACFT AREA AT THE "SUN AND FUN FLY IN" WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO LAND IN A FIELD, WHICH HE COULDN'T MAKE, AND CAME TO REST IN SOME SCRUB TREES. THE PLT ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL MIXTURE SINCE HE HAD BEEN IN FLORIDA AND THAT WAS THE REASON THE ENGINE QUIT. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Aircraft: FRANKLIN DRIFTER XP-503, registration: N65DF THE OWNER RPRTD THE PLT FLEW THE ACFT AT A COMPANY PICNIC WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION. COMPANY PSNL SAW THE EXPERIMENTAL, AMATEUR BUILT ACFT TAKEOFF FROM THE COMPANY STRIP, THEN MANEUVER FOR A LOW PASS OVER THE AREA AT ABOUT 150 TO 200 FT AGL. SOME ESTIMATED THE PASS WAS MADE WITH A SPEED IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH. THE NEVER EXCEED (VNE) SPEED FOR THE ACFT WAS 95 MPH. AS THE ACFT APCHD THE AREA OF THE PICNIC, WITNESSES HEARD A BUZZING OR FLUTTERING SOUND. AS IT CONTINUED OVERHEAD, WITNESSES NOTED THE LEFT AILERON HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE OUTBOARD END & HAD FOLDED AFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RGT AILERON FAILED IN A SIMILAR MANNER. THE ACFT ENTERED A CLIMB & SOME WITNESSES NOTED A POWER REDUCTION AS IF THE PLT WAS TRYING TO SLOW THE ACFT. HOWEVER, THE ACFT ROLLED & ENTERED A DSCNT WHICH WAS DESCRIBED AS A STALL/SPIN CONDITION. RPRTDLY, THE PLT WAS AWARE OF THE ACFT'S TENDENCY TO ENCTR AILERON BUZZ OR FLUTTER WHEN ACCELERATED ABOVE 100 MPH. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Aircraft: ROSENMAYER SKYRANGER S/C, registration: N830CR WITNESSES OBSERVED THE A/C MAKING A TURN WHEN THE WINGS CAME OFF AND THE A/C NOSE-DIVED TO THE GROUND WITH THE WINGS "FLOATING" DOWN AFTER THE A/C. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FOUND A FATIGUE CRACK 1/3 THE CIRCUMFERENCE WITH INSTANTANEOUS CRACKING ON THE REMAINDER CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE RIGHT WING LIFT STRUT. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Aircraft: TERATORN TIERRA II, registration: N68JM THE PILOT STATED THAT ON TAKEOFF CLIMB, APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, THE A/C BROKE TO THE RIGHT AND HIT THE GROUND. THE PILOT SUSPECTED RIGHT AILERON CONTROL PROBLEMS. INSPECTION OF A/C REVEALED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THE WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT 10 KTS. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Aircraft: HURD/DRIFTER XP503, registration: N29CH THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING A PREFLT, HE NOTED THE FUEL TANK WAS ABOUT 1/4 FULL. HE RPRTD THAT AS HE WAS TAKING OFF, THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 200 FT AGL, WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER. FROM THAT POSITION, HE WAS UNABLE TO RTRN TO THE ARPT OR GLIDE TO AN OPEN FIELD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED INTO TREE(S), THEN FELL TO THE GROUND. THE OWNER/BUILDER/PLT OF THE HOME BUILT ACFT RPRTD THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS NOT IN THE PROPER POSITION IN THE FUEL TANK. HE INDICATED THE ACDNT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY PROPERLY SECURING THE FUEL LINE. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Aircraft: BARNETT DRIFTER XP503, registration: N247JB THE PILOT REASSEMBLED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS JUST PRIOR TO FLIGHT, AND INSTALLED THE AILERON PINS TO CONNECT THE CABLES, BUT FORGET THE SAFETY LOCKING DEVICES. DURING FLIGHT, THE PINS FELL OUT CAUSING A TOTAL LOSS OF AILERON CONTROL. Probable Cause Contributing Factors Aircraft: SMITH KITFOX II, registration: N302RS THE PLT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF ON THE ACFT'S 1ST FLT, IT
ENTERED A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, STALLED & CRASHED ABOUT 100 YDS FROM THE DEPARTURE END
OF THE RWY. THE PLT WAS RPRTD TO HAVE SAID THAT "THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT DOWNWARD
ELEVATOR TRAVEL AND THE ANGLE OF INCIDENCE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS PAST THE
NEGATIVE LIMITS." THE ACFT DESIGNER RPRTD THAT THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS PROPERLY
POSITIONED. THE WING TWIST WAS FOUND TO BE 1.88 DEG PER 13.5 FT VERSUS THE SPECIFIED WING
TWIST OF 3.65 DEG. THE DOWNWARD DEFLECTION OF THE ELEVATOR WAS MEASURED TO BE 28.2 DEGREES
VERSUS THE DESIGNED 25 DEGREES. THE C.G. WAS RPRTD TO BE WITHIN LIMITS. Aircraft: WESLEY STRIPLIN RANGER, registration: N46WW WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING SOMETHING HANGING FROM THE LEFT WING OF
THE AIRPLANE ALONG WITH FUEL COMING FROM THE LEFT WING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE
ENTERED A LEFT DIVING TURN AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.
EXAMINATION REVEALED THE LEFT WINGTIP FUEL TANK WAS MISSING AND IT WAS NOT LOCATED. THE
LEFT WING INBOARD TANK WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 100 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THREE
FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE LEFT AILERON WAS REPAIRED DUE TO DELAMINATION OF
THE SKIN. THE KIT MANUFACTURER STATED THE WINGTIP TANKS SHOULD BE ATTACHED WITH 6 SCREWS,
LARGE WASHERS AND NUT PLATES. REPORTEDLY, THE WINGTIP TANKS WERE ATTACHED WITH 4 SCREWS
AND NUT PLATES WITH NO WASHERS. Aircraft: BILLINGS/WHITE AVID FLYER, registration: N305BJ WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT'S ENG LOST POWER DURING A TURN ONTO BASE
LEG. THE ACFT WAS THEN MANEUVERED IN A 360 DEG TURN, AS IF TO LAND IN A FIELD. AS IT WAS
BEING MANEUVERED, IT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & IMPACTED THE GROUND. A POST-ACDNT EXAM
REVEALED THAT BOTH CARBURETORS WERE LOOSE. CONFIGURATION OF THE ENG REQUIRED THAT EACH
CARBURETOR BE SECURED WITH 2 CLAMPS. ONLY 3 OF THE 4 CLAMPS WERE FOUND DESPITE AN
EXTENSIVE SEARCH. THE HOME BUILT ACFT WAS ON ITS 3RD FLT & WAS BEING FLOWN FROM AN EAA
FLY-IN BY THE 2 BUILDERS WHEN THE ACDNT OCCURRED. ircraft: MAXAIR XP-503 DRIFTER, registration: N13WR THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 21, AND EVERYTHING
SEEMED TO BE NORMAL UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 150 TO 200 FEET ABOVE THE
GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD STARTED A LEFT TURN TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY AND LAND
WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ITS LEFT TURN AS IT MADE THE
EMERGENCY DESCENT AND COLLIDED WITH AN AIRCRAFT PARKED ON AIRPORT PROPERTY. POST-ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A WRIST PIN BEARING HAD FAILED, WHICH RESULTED IN THE PISTON
SEIZING AND THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. |
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