Saturday, September 22, 2012

Van's RV-7A, N423RA: Accident occurred September 21, 2012 in Laramie, Wyoming

NTSB Identification: WPR12FA432
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 21, 2012 in Laramie, WY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 04/23/2014
Aircraft: KUNDEL VANS RV 7A, registration: N423RA
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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 approached runway 21 straight in from the northeast, after having completed a cross-country flight. Before attempting to land at the non-towered airport, the pilot overflew runway 21 before making a left turn and entering a left downwind for runway 21. A witness reported seeing the airplane while on final approach just east of the airport about 300 to 400 feet above ground level (agl), “...and everything looked normal,” but as the airplane got closer he observed some “wing rock,” similar to a small Dutch Roll. Shortly thereafter, when the airplane was about 100 to 150 feet agl, its left wing dipped a little, followed by the right wing dropping very fast, which was then followed by a spin to the right and subsequent impact with terrain. A postimpact fire subsequently erupted, which consumed the forward section of the airplane. The wind was reported to be 350 degrees at 14 knots, with gusts to 24 knots, about the time of the accident. A wind of such direction and velocity would have likely resulted in a significant tailwind for the pilot to contend with. The pilot’s decision to attempt a downwind landing in gusting wind conditions likely resulted in his loss of airplane control and subsequent impact with terrain. The airport was also equipped with a 90-degree intersecting runway, runway 30, which should have been the runway of choice given the prevailing wind; it was not clear why the pilot did not elect to use this runway. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s decision to attempt a landing with a gusting tailwind, which resulted in his loss of airplane control during final approach and a subsequent aerodynamic stall/spin.

 HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 21, 2012, about 1445 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Vans RV 7A, N423RA, was destroyed after colliding with terrain near the Laramie Regional Airport (LAR), Laramie, Wyoming. The airplane was registered to the pilot. The certified commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the cross-country flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The flight departed the Duluth International Airport (DLH), Duluth, Minnesota, about 0926, with LAR as its destination.

The following is a chronology of the en route portion of the flight from DLH to LAR. All times are mountain daylight time (MDT), unless otherwise noted:

According to the airplane's en route radar track, the pilot departed on the 635 nautical mile (nm) instrument flight rules (IFR) cross-country flight at 0926, and arrived in the LAR area about 1441; the total time en route was 5 hours and 15 minutes. After takeoff the flight climbed and arrived at its initial cruising altitude of 8,000 feet mean sea level (msl) at 0934. At 1228, the flight ascended to 10,000 feet msl, and at 1339 it climbed to its final cruising altitude of 12,000 feet msl. The flight remained at this altitude until 1438, when it began its descent to LAR. The airport elevation at LAR is 7,842 feet msl. The radar data revealed that during the entirety of the flight, the airplane maintained a relatively consistent southwest course, which was in line with LAR.

In a conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), a family member reported that the pilot had planned the cross-country trip to Laramie to visit another family member, and that the pilot had mentioned that he could probably make it without stopping en route to refuel, but that if he did stop it would most likely be in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. It was revealed during the investigation that the accident airplane did not make an en route refueling stop.
An initial report received by the NTSB IIC from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel revealed that witnesses to the accident reported that as the airplane approached LAR it overflew runway 21, then made left hand traffic for that runway. During its turn from base leg to final approach, which was estimated to be about one-quarter mile from the approach end of runway 21, the airplane impacted terrain. A subsequent fire erupted, which consumed the forward section of the airplane.

In a statement submitted to the NTSB IIC, an off-duty airline pilot who was driving by the airport on Highway 130, reported that he observed the airplane on what he assumed was final approach to Runway 21. The witness stated that when he first saw the airplane it was about 300 to 400 feet above ground level (agl), and just east of the highway, and [everything] looked normal. The witness opined that as the airplane crossed the highway there was some wing rock, like a small Dutch Roll. The witness revealed that when the airplane was about 100 to 150 feet agl the airplane's left wing dipped a little, then the right wing dropped very fast, which was followed by a spin to the right and impact with the ground at a very high [descent] rate. The witness added that the airplane hit nose down flat, with the right wing hitting just after the nose impacted the terrain. The airplane came to rest almost 180 degrees from its original direction. A fire then started, which consumed the airplane. The witness stated that the airplane never seemed to be in distress until the right wing dropped.

The wreckage was recovered to a secured facility for further examination.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 79, held a commercial pilot certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine land and sea, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot also possessed a flight instructor certificate for airplanes, although it had been expired for several years. The pilot received his most recent second-class FAA airman medical certificate on April 18, 2011. The certificate contained the limitation that the pilot "Must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision." On the application for his medical certificate, the pilot listed a total time of 5,000 hours, 40 hours flown in the previous 6 months. The pilot's personal logbook of flight times was not obtained during the investigation. Maintenance records revealed that the pilot had flown the airplane for 35.1 hours during its Phase One flight test requirements. No additional flight times for the pilot in make and model were noted.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident pilot personally built the experimental RV 7A, which was a single-engine, side-by-side, tricycle gear kit airplane, serial number 71227. The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming IO-360-B1A engine, rated at 160 horsepower, and had a fuel capacity of 42 US gallons.

According to maintenance records provided by a family member, a FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) issued the accident pilot a Special Airworthiness Certificate and Experimental Amateur-Built Operating Limitations on November 4, 2011. A review of the records also revealed that the first flight of the airplane was conducted on November 5, 2011, and that Phase One was completed on March 22, 2011, at a total time in service of 35.3 hours.

Fueling records were provided to the NTSB IIC by Monaco Air, which was located at DLH. According to the fuel records, the accident airplane was most recently refueled by Monaco on September 14, 2012. It was topped off with 12.5 gallon of 100 LOW-LEAD aviation fuel.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

The Laramie Regional Airport (LAR), Laramie, Wyoming, is a non-towered controlled airport, which is located 3 miles west of the city of Laramie, at an elevation of 7,284 feet msl. The airport has two asphalt paved runways; Runway 3/21 is 8,502 by 150 feet, and Runway 12/30 is 6,300 by 100 feet. Runways 3 and 12 are equipped with Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPI), while runways 30 and 21 are equipped with Visual Approach Slope Indicators (VASI). All four runways are equipped with Medium Intensity Runway Lights (MIRL), which can be activated by pilot-controlled lighting. Runways 3, 21 and 12 are equipped with Runway End Identifier Lights (REIL), and Runway 30 is equipped with Omni-Directional Approach Lights (ODALS). Additionally, the airport is equipped with a Common Traffic Advisory Facility (CTAF/UNICOM), as well as an Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) weather reporting facility.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1453, the LAR weather reporting facility reported wind 350 degrees at 14 knots, gusts to 24 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 22° Celsius (C), dew point -4° C, and an altimeter setting of 30.28 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Two FAA airworthiness aviation safety inspectors reported that their initial examination of the airplane at the accident site revealed that it had impacted level terrain about 400 feet northeast of the approach end of Runway 21. The attitude at impact was consistent with a steep right wing down, nose down attitude. A subsequent fire erupted, which consumed the cabin and cockpit areas of the airplane, as well as significant thermal damage to both wings.

Photographs provided to the NTSB IIC by the FAA inspectors revealed that the airplane had come to rest in an upright position oriented and facing to the southeast, or perpendicular to the extended centerline of Runway 21. While the empennage remained relatively intact aft of the aft cabin bulkhead, all areas forward of the bulkhead were destroyed or had been substantially damaged by impact and thermal damage.

An examination of the right wing revealed that it had separated from the fuselage and had sustained significant thermal and impact damage. Additionally, aft accordion crush signatures were observed to its forward outboard leading edge, consistent with the initial impact sequence confirmed by one witness. Both the wing's aileron and flap remained attached to the wing at all attach points. The wings fuel tank had been breached.

An examination of the left wing revealed that it had sustained significant impact damage and had partially separated from the left side of the airplane's fuselage. The inboard two-thirds of the wing was destroyed due to impact and thermal damage. The aileron was observed intact and attached to the wing's trailing edge at all attach points. Both the wing's aileron and flap remained attached to the wing at all attach points. The fuel tank was destroyed.

The engine, which had come to rest in an upright position and partially separated from its engine mounts, had sustained impact and thermal damage. The propeller had separated from the engine and was located about 30 feet to the east of the main wreckage. Both propeller blades remained attached to the propeller hub. A defined slash mark was evidenced by one blade having become buried in the terrain and not visible; the remaining blade was identified and remained above the surface.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed in Loveland, Colorado, by a Forensic Pathologist on September 22, 2012. The cause of death was attributed to multiple blunt force injuries.

The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), Oklahoma City, performed toxicological testing of specimens of the pilot. Analysis of the specimens were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles and drugs.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

During the investigation the airplane's Electronics International FP-5L digital fuel flow monitor, serial number 108829, was secured by the NTSB IIC. The unit was subsequently sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division in Washington, D.C. for examination and of its recorded data by an NTSB recorder specialist. The results of the examination of the component were inconclusive. (Refer to the Fuel Flow Monitor Specialist's Factual Report, which is located in the public docket for this report.)

Subsequent to the airplane being recovered to the secured storage facility located in Greeley, Colorado, a detailed postaccident examination of the airframe and engine was performed by the NTSB, accompanied and supervised by a Lycoming Engines air safety investigator. The examination revealed that no mechanical anomalies were observed that would have precluded normal operation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The airplane was equipped with two 21-gallon fuel tanks (42 gallons total), all of which, according to a Van's aircraft representative, was usable fuel. As previously noted, the investigation revealed that the airplane had been aloft for about 5 hours and 15 minutes when the accident occurred. According to the Lycoming Operator's Manual for the IO-320-B series engine, fuel consumption for Best Economy operating at 2600 revolutions per minute would be 8.8 gallons per hour (gph), 7.8 gph, 6.9 gph, and 6.1 gph at 75, 65, 55 and 45 percent power respectively. Additionally, total fuel consumption would have been 46.2, 41, 36.2 and 32 gallons respectively. The computed duration for the airplane at 55 percent power, based on best economy, would have been 6.1 hours, which would have met the 45 minute IFR fuel reserve requirement consistent with Federal Aviation Regulation 91.167 (a)(3).



 http://registry.faa.gov/N423RA


NTSB Identification: WPR12FA432 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, September 21, 2012 in Laramie, WY
Aircraft: Kundel VANS RV 7A, registration: N423RA
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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 September 21, 2012, about 1445 mountain daylight time, a VANS RV 7A experimental airplane, N423RA, sustained substantial damage after impacting terrain near the Laramie Regional Airport (LAR), Laramie, Wyoming. The certified commercial pilot, who was also the registered owner of the airplane, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight, which was being operated in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The flight departed the Duluth International Airport (DLH), Duluth, Minnesota, about 1026 central daylight time, with LAR as its destination.

Witnesses to the accident reported that as the airplane approached LAR it overflew runway 21, then flew a left hand traffic pattern for that runway. During its turn from base leg to final approach, which was estimated to be about one-quarter mile from the approach end of runway 21, the airplane impacted terrain and caught fire, which consumed the airplane.

At 1453, the weather reporting facility at LAR reported wind 350 degrees at 14 knots with gusts to 24 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 22 degrees Celsius (C), dew point -4 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.28 inches of mercury.



Members of the Laramie Fire Department work to extinguish a grass fire that started after a single-engine aircraft crashed near Laramie Regional Airport. 



 
 

What might have happened in plane crash that killed Duluth man 

The Laramie (WY) Boomerang reports that a Duluth doctor has been killed in the crash of his homebuilt airplane.

The Star Tribune identifies him as former St. Louis County medical examiner Donald Kundel, 79. The Duluth News Tribune says he had recently beaten cancer and was on his way to Laramie to celebrate on a hunting trip with his son.

I know every inch of the type of plane Kundel was flying; it's the same type of airplane I built.
What happened? A key may be in the FAA's description of the crash as occurring under "known circumstances." That means the pilot had advised air traffic control that he had a problem. What kind of problem is impossible to say. It could be medical -- a 79 year pilot flying at altitudes requiring oxygen -- or it could be mechanical.

In the latter category, investigators will almost certainly look immediately at the possibility he ran out of fuel, especially since a witness reports the engine had stopped. But witness statements can be notoriously unreliable. And there are lots of things that could make an engine stop. More and more experimental aircraft use electronic ignitions, for example, and one bad alternator can quickly discharge a battery.

The RV-7A holds 42 gallons of fuel, but only about 41.5 gallons is "usable." A pilot would normally calculate fuel usage when planning such a trip. Here, for example, is what the trip would look like (using the Weathermeister.com flight planning tool) today, given the weather conditions .


There's a two-gallon penalty for headwinds and, flying west, there's almost always a headwind.

The above flight plan, however, calculates flying at 7,500. The pilot of this flight flew at 12,500, requiring more fuel to climb to that altitude. There is, however, more fuel economy at high altitudes because of the thin air, which also requires less fuel. 

he Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association flight planner says it would require about 53 gallons, but that assumes a fuel-burn rate which may be higher than what the pilot might have normally experienced. Aggressive "leaning" (adjusting the mixture of gasoline and air) can change fuel consumption by as much as 40 percent.



The flight's data, tracked by FlightAware.com, shows that the pilot did not make a fuel stop.

But the flight data doesn't provide any answers beyond that. The last indicated position was still 20 or so miles away from the airport. The pilot apparently had cleared mountains to the east of Laramie and was descending. Judging by the speed of his airplane at that point, his engine was working.

The first report of the crash came 8 minutes later.

It is possible the plane had "extended range" fuel tanks, which would have provided another 10 gallons of fuel. 

It's also important to remember that engine and propeller combinations can vary, even among the same model of airplane. The company that markets the plane, for example, claims the range of a tank of gas can be over 1,000 miles, but that supposes running the tanks dry.

The picture of the crash scene in the Laramie newspaper (link above) doesn't provide much of a clue other than that although there was enough fuel to start a grass fire, there apparently wasn't enough to burn the plane.

But even that doesn't prove fuel exhaustion. In an emergency landing, the pilot would typically shut off the fuel supply to the engine to prevent a post-crash fire. 

Original Source:   http://minnesota.publicradio.org

 
Members of the Laramie Fire Department work to extinguish a grass fire that started after a single-engine aircraft crashed near Laramie Regional Airport. 
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A longtime Duluth doctor and former St. Louis County medical examiner died Friday after the small airplane he was flying crashed trying to land in Laramie, Wyo., where he was visiting his son. 

Donald W. Kundel, 79, was killed in the crash, family members confirmed Saturday. Kundel, a licensed pilot, was semi-retired from his job as a pathologist and "always had a passion" for flying, said Susan Weber of Duluth, his sister-in-law.


"He was a prominent doctor and a silent giant," she said of Kundel, adding that he was quiet but well-known for his generosity. "He was a great person who did a lot of things for a lot of people. He will really, really be missed."

About 2:50 p.m. on Friday, the plane he was flying crashed at the Laramie Regional Airport, where he was arriving to visit his son, according to the Laramie Boomerang newspaper. Kundel was the only person aboard, according to authorities in Wyoming.

There is no immediate word on what led to the single-engine propeller plane to crash "under known circumstances," said Allen Kenitzer, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The National Transportation Safety Board will lead an investigation into the crash, Kenitzer added.
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An early afternoon plane crash near Laramie Regional Airport claimed the life of a Minnesota man. 

 Laramie Police Chief Dale Stalder said the man was coming to Laramie to visit his son, who is a student at Wyoming Technical Institute. The victim and his son were not identified, pending notification of other family.

Bret Vance, Laramie Fire Department Shift Commander, said the call came into dispatch at 2:49 p.m.

“The initial call was for the crash,” Vance said. “About 30 seconds later, a call came in about a grass fire in the same area.”

When firefighters arrived, the fire was moving to the south and east of the single-engine plane.

“Our primary concern at that point was to stop the fire before it reached any of the structures,” Vance said. “With 15-20 mile per hour winds, they were driving the fire pretty quickly.”

In addition to law enforcement, three trucks with crews — Engine 3, Engine 6, Engine 7 — and Albany County 20 from Station 3 were joined by the MS 149 crew, Unit 43 Command vehicle, Centennial Volunteer Fire Department Engine 14 and both airport crash trucks.

“It took a while to put the fire out,” Vance said. “There was a fuel spill from the crash. In all, the fire burned about 30 acres.”

 “We will be protecting the scene from outside view,” Stalder said. “The crash was off the runway and there was no need to close the airport.”

Stalder said the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were notified and will take over the investigation.


Source:  http://www.laramieboomerang.com

One man is dead following the crash of a plane on Friday afternoon at Laramie Regional Airport according to airport manager Jack Skinner. No details have been released about the man, although Skinner did confirm that he was not from Laramie. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.

 Skinner reports that the plane was on fire after the crash, which occurred at approximately 2:50 p.m. He said there was a quick response with fire trucks.

Operations at the airport were only slightly delayed through the afternoon as the crash occurred outside of what Skinner called the “airport operations” and “safety area.” The Laramie Regional Airport will not release any further information until the FAA has completed their investigation.


Source:   http://kowb1290.com



A Duluth pilot died Friday afternoon after the small plane he was flying to Wyoming crashed.

The Star Tribune newspaper reports, 79-year-old Donald Kundel, a licensed pilot, was traveling to Laramie, W to visit his son.

Kundel was a longtime Duluth doctor and former St. Louis County medical examiner.

The crash happened around 2:50 at the Laramie Regional Airport, according to the town’s newspaper.

A grass fire that spread about 30 acres was also started just after the plane crashed.

Authorities in Wyoming say Kundel was the only person aboard the plane and do not know the cause of the crash. An early afternoon plane crash near Laramie Regional Airport claimed the life of a Minnesota man.  Laramie Police Chief Dale Stalder said the man was coming to Laramie to visit his son, who is a student at Wyoming Technical Institute. The victim and his son were not identified, pending notification of other family.

Bret Vance, Laramie Fire Department Shift Commander, said the call came into dispatch at 2:49 p.m.

“The initial call was for the crash,” Vance said. “About 30 seconds later, a call came in about a grass fire in the same area.”

When firefighters arrived, the fire was moving to the south and east of the single-engine plane.

“Our primary concern at that point was to stop the fire before it reached any of the structures,” Vance said. “With 15-20 mile per hour winds, they were driving the fire pretty quickly.”

In addition to law enforcement, three trucks with crews — Engine 3, Engine 6, Engine 7 — and Albany County 20 from Station 3 were joined by the MS 149 crew, Unit 43 Command vehicle, Centennial Volunteer Fire Department Engine 14 and both airport crash trucks.

“It took a while to put the fire out,” Vance said. “There was a fuel spill from the crash. In all, the fire burned about 30 acres.”

 “We will be protecting the scene from outside view,” Stalder said. “The crash was off the runway and there was no need to close the airport.”

Stalder said the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were notified and will take over the investigation.


Source:  http://www.laramieboomerang.com



 A fatal plane crash at the Laramie Airport claimed the life of the pilot, the sole occupant of the plane.

According to the Laramie Police Department, the crash happened Friday, September 21st, at 2:50 p.m. The initial report said the plane at crashed and was on fire.

The Laramie Fire Department, Centennial Valley Volunteer Fire Department, and the Aviation Fire Fighting crew were on scene to put out the fire which spread across around 10 acres of grass.

The plane was registered in Minnesota, but no further information was released on the pilot.

The NTSB and FAA will be in Laramie today to conduct their investigation.

=======

An early afternoon plane crash near Laramie Regional Airport claimed the life of a Minnesota man.  Laramie Police Chief Dale Stalder said the man was coming to Laramie to visit his son, who is a student at Wyoming Technical Institute. The victim and his son were not identified, pending notification of other family.

Bret Vance, Laramie Fire Department Shift Commander, said the call came into dispatch at 2:49 p.m.

“The initial call was for the crash,” Vance said. “About 30 seconds later, a call came in about a grass fire in the same area.”

When firefighters arrived, the fire was moving to the south and east of the single-engine plane.

“Our primary concern at that point was to stop the fire before it reached any of the structures,” Vance said. “With 15-20 mile per hour winds, they were driving the fire pretty quickly.”

In addition to law enforcement, three trucks with crews — Engine 3, Engine 6, Engine 7 — and Albany County 20 from Station 3 were joined by the MS 149 crew, Unit 43 Command vehicle, Centennial Volunteer Fire Department Engine 14 and both airport crash trucks.

“It took a while to put the fire out,” Vance said. “There was a fuel spill from the crash. In all, the fire burned about 30 acres.”

 “We will be protecting the scene from outside view,” Stalder said. “The crash was off the runway and there was no need to close the airport.”

Stalder said the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration were notified and will take over the investigation.