14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 01, 2011 in Wautoma, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/31/2013
Aircraft: EDWARDS DOUGLAS L SKY RANGER, registration: N7501Y
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot took off from a grass runway to the east for the cross-country flight. An eyewitness observed the airplane climb to an altitude of about 100 to 150 feet above the ground. Over the east end of the runway, the airplane began a left turn to return to the airfield. During the turn, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall, the nose of the airplane dropped, and the airplane descended and impacted the ground. The airplane was examined at the accident site. Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit control stick and rudder pedals to each respective flight control surface. An examination of the wreckage showed the engine, engine mounts, cowling, firewall and forward cockpit bent and crushed aft and twisted counterclockwise about 30 degrees, consistent with the airplane being in a left hand, nose-down spiral when it impacted the ground. An examination of the engine and other airplane systems showed no preimpact anomalies that would have contributed to the accident.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed and attitude control of the airplane in the turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
On August 1, 2011, about 0820 central daylight time, an Edwards Sky Ranger, experimental light sport airplane, N7501Y, owned and operated by a sport pilot, impacted terrain following a loss of control during initial climb after takeoff from the Wautoma Metropolitan Airport (Y50), Wautoma, Wisconsin. The sport pilot was seriously injured and the sole passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane 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 and a flight plan had not been filed for the cross-country flight destined for a private airstrip near Maquoketa, Iowa.
The pilot stated that he took off heading east from the grass runway at Y50 and climbed to about 200 feet over the east end of the runway. He said he circled around to do an over fly of the airport. He said that after he “straightened out there was no control over the horizontal tail.” He pulled back on the control stick several times “with no result.” The airplane then “dove straight down” impacting the ground 100 feet from the end of the runway.
An eyewitness to the accident reported that he had owned three Sky Rangers at different times, had logged hundreds of hours instructing in them, and had taught the accident pilot to fly 15 to 16 years ago. According to the eyewitness, following a preflight which included topping off the 20 gallon fuel tank and checking the oil, the pilot began his takeoff roll along runway 08. After liftoff, the pilot leveled the airplane just above the runway and built up airspeed before performing a “sharp” pull up. The airplane climbed to 100 to 150 feet before the airplane began a left hand turn as if the pilot was going to fly back over the eyewitness. While in the turn, the airplane appeared to stall, and dropped out of the eyewitness’s view. Seconds later he heard the airplane impact the ground. The eyewitness further reported that the airplane’s engine sounded really smooth during the flight and that it sounded like it was at full power as the airplane was descending towards the ground.
The National Transportation Safety Board Investigator-in-Charge conducted an examination of the airplane at the accident site. The crash site began with an impact scrape followed by an eight foot long, three foot wide impact crater that preceded the airplane main wreckage. The impact crater contained pieces of the propeller and Fiberglas from the cowling and windscreen. The accident site proceeded along a 242-degree heading. About 62 feet from the initial ground impact scrape was the airplane main wreckage. The main wreckage came to rest upright in a 35-degree nose down attitude and was oriented on a 142-degree heading. All of the airplane components were accounted for.
The cowling with the engine, engine mounts and firewall underneath and behind were crushed aft and twisted about 30 degrees counterclockwise. The forward cockpit area and main landing gear were crushed and bent aft and upward.
Both wings remained attached to the fuselage. The left wing rear spar was fractured at mid span and bent upward. The left wing strut was bent upward. The right wing was undamaged. The fuselage, aft of the cockpit, and empennage showed no damage.
All three blades of the carbon fiber propeller were found broken aft and splintered. The propeller spinner was crushed aft and twisted.
Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit control stick and rudder pedals to each respective flight control surface. An examination of the engine and other airplane systems showed no preimpact anomalies that would have contributed to the accident.
NTSB Identification: CEN11FA531
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 01, 2011 in Wautoma, WI
Aircraft: EDWARDS DOUGLAS L SKY RANGER, registration: N7501Y
Injuries: 1 Fatal,1 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On August 1, 2011, about 0820 central daylight time, an experimental light sport Edwards Sky Ranger, N7501Y, impacted terrain following a loss of control during initial climb after takeoff from the Wautoma Metropolitan Airport (Y50), Wautoma, Wisconsin. The sport pilot was seriously injured and the sole passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane 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 and a flight plan had not been filed for the cross-country flight destined for a private airstrip near Maquoketa, Iowa.
There was one eyewitness to the accident. The eyewitness reported that he had owned three Sky Rangers at different times, had logged hundreds of hours instructing in them, and had taught the accident pilot to fly 15 to 16 years ago. According to the eyewitness, following a preflight which included topping off the 20 gallon fuel tank and checking the oil, the pilot began his takeoff roll along runway 08. After liftoff, the pilot leveled the airplane just above the runway and built up airspeed before performing a "sharp" pull up. The airplane climbed to 100 to 150 feet before the airplane began a left hand turn as if the pilot was going to fly back over the eyewitness. While in the turn, the airplane appeared to stall, and dropped out of the eyewitness's view. Seconds later he heard the airplane impact the ground. The eyewitness further reported that the airplane's engine sounded normal during the flight and that it sounded like it was at full power as the airplane was descending towards the ground.
Investigators examined the airplane at the accident site. All major components were accounted for and control continuity was established from the cockpit flight controls to each respective flight control surface. All three blades of the carbon fiber propeller were found splintered.
WAUTOMA – The passenger in an airplane that crashed shortly after take-off at Wautoma Municipal Airport Monday has died of his injuries.
Matthew K. Schabilion, 50, of Davenport, was a passenger in a plane flown by Douglas L. Edwards, 55, Long Grove, Iowa. Both men were air lifted to Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah following the 8:23 a.m. crash. Initially they were both listed in critical condition.
Edwards remains hospitalized.
The plane, identified as a Sky Ranger, crashed on a grassy area adjacent to the paved runway just south of the airport terminal, according to Waushara County Sheriff David Peterson.
The pilot was attempting an emergency landing when the crash occurred, Peterson said in a press release.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident.
Source: http://www.thenorthwestern.com
Source: http://www.thenorthwestern.com
