14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, May 25, 2014 in Newton, NC
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/24/2014
Aircraft: STOLP STARDUSTER SA-300, registration: N4493
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.
Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane spiral to the ground. A review of a video recorded by another witness revealed that, during the flight, the airplane entered a left spin and completed about seven revolutions before descending behind a treeline and impacting a wheat field. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
A flight instructor reported that the pilot had been attempting to teach himself aerobatics in his experimental, amateur-built airplane before the accident and that he had provided the pilot one aerobatic lesson in the pilot’s airplane. The flight instructor noted that the pilot’s knowledge and skill level with spin entry and recovery were inadequate. The pilot subsequently contacted the flight instructor on two more occasions and requested more training. The flight instructor agreed to do the training as long as it was performed in his airplane; however, the pilot would not agree to use the instructor’s airplane and did not receive further aerobatic training.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s failure to recover from an intentional spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of adequate spin entry and recovery training.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On May 25, 2014, about 2005 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Stolp Starduster SA-300, N4493, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it impacted a wheat field following an intentional spin near Newton, North Carolina. The 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 and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated from Laneys Airport (N92), Maiden, North Carolina, about 1945.
The airplane was based at N92. According to a flight instructor, prior to the accident flight, the pilot had been attempting to teach himself aerobatics in the accident airplane. The flight instructor encouraged the pilot to receive formal training, but the pilot preferred to fly his own airplane. The flight instructor agreed on one occasion to provide training in the pilot's airplane. They performed steep turns, stalls, and slow flight uneventfully. They then performed several spins, including power on, power off, and accelerated spin entries; however, the pilot's knowledge and skill level were not quite adequate and the flight instructor terminated the spin training early. Additionally, the flight instructor noticed some deficiencies with the airplane during landing and advised the pilot not to fly it until repairs could be completed. The pilot subsequently contacted the flight instructor on two more occasions and requested more training. The flight instructor agreed to the training, as long as it was performed in his Decathlon, which the pilot did not agree to.
Three witnesses, who lived near the accident site, observed the airplane in level flight when the engine noise decreased and it entered a spin. The airplane continued to spin and descended toward the ground. One witness stated that the prior to the spin, the airplane performed a few tricks and a couple of stalls. A second witness stated that the airplane stopped spinning about 300 feet above the ground, but continued to nose dive into a wheat field. The third witness recorded a video of the accident sequence and a copy was forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, D.C., for further review.
Review of the video revealed that the airplane entered a left-turn spin and completed about seven revolutions before disappearing behind a treeline.
PILOT INFORMATION
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land, which was issued on December 11, 2011. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on November 6, 2013. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 115 hours. The pilot's logbook was not recovered.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The two-seat tandem, bi-wing, fixed tailwheel airplane, serial number 224, was constructed from a kit of steel tubing, with the wing and tail surfaces covered in fabric. The wing spars were constructed of wood. The kit was manufactured in 1971 and the airplane was issued an FAA airworthiness certificate in 1980. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320, 150-horsepower engine, equipped with a Sensenich two-blade, fixed-pitch propeller.
According to the aircraft logbooks, the airplane's most recent condition inspection was completed on May 20, 2009. At that time, the airplane had accumulated 873.4 total hours of operation. The engine had accumulated 1,623.5 total hours of operation; of which, 1,054.5 hours were accumulated since the last major overhaul was performed in 1966. According to the tachometer, the airplane had flown about 40 hours from the time of the condition inspection until the accident.
The airplane was involved in a prior accident in 2010 and was sold by a salvage facility to the pilot. The pilot made a logbook entry on June 16, 2012, noting that the engine was in airworthy condition; however, the pilot was not qualified to perform a condition inspection on the airplane.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
Hickory Regional Airport (HKY), Hickory, North Carolina, was located about 14 miles northwest of the accident site. The recorded weather at HKY, at 1953, was: wind from 190 degrees at 3 knots; visibility 10 miles; few clouds at 9,000 feet; temperature 23 degrees Celsius; dew point 16 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.15 inches of mercury.
WRECKAGE INFORMATION
The airplane impacted a wheat field and came to rest in a flat, upright attitude, on a magnetic heading about 130 degrees. The bi-wing had partially separated from the fuselage and was canted forward. The left and right ailerons remained attached to their respective upper and lower wings. The empennage remained intact and exhibited little damage. Control continuity was confirmed from the elevator and rudder to the rear cockpit control stick. The aileron system was constructed of push-pull tubes, which were impact damaged and continuity could not be confirmed. Continuity was also confirmed from the elevator trim tab to the pilot's seat (rear).
The cockpit was crushed, but the pilot's seat and 4-point harness remained intact. The forward fuselage fuel tank was compromised and an odor of fuel was present. The engine remained partially attached the fuselage. The two propeller blades remained attached to the hub. The propeller flange had cracked and the propeller separated from the crankshaft. The airplane was not insured and not immediately recovered from the wheat field.
Following its recovery, the engine was further examined by an FAA inspector. The inspector noted cable continuity to the carburetor. The carburetor fuel screen was clean and the oil screen was absent of metallic particles. Due to impact damage, the crankshaft could only rotate about 1 inch, but the inspector was able to verify that all pistons moved and gears at the rear accessory section turned. Both magnetos produced spark at all leads when rotated by hand and the spark plugs exhibited normal wear. The throttle cable remained attached to the carburetor and the mixture control arm remained attached to the upper portion part of the carburetor assembly.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
An autopsy was performed on the pilot on May 28, 2014, by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The cause of death was attributed to multiple injuries and no findings that could be considered causal to the accident were reported.
Toxicological testing was performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The results were negative for carbon monoxide, alcohol, and drugs.
NTSB Identification: ERA14FA256
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, May 25, 2014 in Newton, NC
Aircraft: STOLP STARDUSTER SA 300, registration: N4493
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 May 25, 2014, about 2005 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Stolp Starduster SA-300, N4493, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it impacted a wheat field, while maneuvering near Newton, North Carolina. The 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 and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated from Laneys Airport (N92), Maiden, North Carolina, about 1945.
The airplane was based at N92. According to a flight instructor, prior to the accident flight, the pilot had been attempting to teach himself aerobatics in the accident airplane. The flight instructor encouraged the pilot to receive formal training, but the pilot preferred to fly his own airplane. The flight instructor agreed on one occasion to provide training in the pilot's airplane. They performed steep turns, stalls, and slow flight uneventfully. They then performed several spins, including power on, power off, and accelerated spin entries; however, the pilot's knowledge and skill level were not quite adequate and the flight instructor terminated the spin training early. Additionally, the flight instructor noticed some deficiencies with the airplane during landing, and advised the pilot not to fly it until repairs could be completed. The pilot subsequently contacted the flight instructor on two more occasions and requested more training. The flight instructor agreed to the training, under the condition that the training be completed in his Decathlon, a condition which the pilot would not agree to.
Three witnesses, who lived near the accident site, observed the airplane in level flight when the engine noise decreased and it entered a spin. The airplane continued to spin and descended toward the ground. One witness stated that the prior entering to the spin, the airplane performed a "few tricks" and several aerodynamic stalls. A second witness stated that the airplane stopped spinning about 300 feet above the ground, but continued to nose dive straight to the ground. The third witness recorded a video of the accident sequence and a copy was forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, D.C., for further review.
The airplane came to rest in a flat, upright attitude, on a magnetic heading about 130 degrees. The bi-wing had partially separated from the fuselage and was canted forward. The left and right ailerons remained attached to their respective upper and lower wings. The empennage remained intact and exhibited little damage while the cockpit was crushed. The forward fuselage fuel tank was compromised and an odor of fuel was present. The engine remained partially attached to the fuselage. Further examination of the wreckage was planned following recovery.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate, with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration third-class medical certificate was issued on November 6, 2013. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 115 hours.
FAA Charlotte FSDO-68: http://www.asias.faa.gov
James B. Thomas
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NEWTON, N.C. — A pilot was killed Sunday when his plane crashed in a Catawba County field.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators arrived at the crash site Monday morning on Balls Creek Road.
Channel 9 found out that the pilot had been up for only about 15 to 20 minutes when the crash happened out in a wheat field.
Neighbors describe seeing the plane in trouble before it went down.
Brenda Blackburn could see the plane flying around her home late Sunday along Balls Creek Road. She said the small plane's engine quit several times before the crash.
"Just a plane a swirling, and all of the sudden the engine died, and it went down and we heard a crash,” she said.
Just down the road, Keith Lee was playing volleyball when he noticed the plane. Lee, who is also a pilot, said the plane was flying at about 1,500 feet while making maneuvers over the southern part of Catawba County.
"He was chopping the throttle, banking it on steep banks, but he was doing it on a real slow speed," Lee said.
The plane is registered to James Thomas, from Denver. Friends said he had taken off from a grass field at Laney's Airport, 4 miles away. Family members said he had been flying for about four years.
Charles Laney was one of the last people to talk with him.
"I told him to be careful. He's a very good guy. Good person. Do anything in the world for you,” Laney said.
The NTSB is just starting its investigation.
An Eyewitness News crew could see where both wings, along with the propeller, came off the home-built aircraft during the crash. Channel 9 asked investigators what they think might have happened.
"From what I saw it looked like a strictly vertical descent. The best way I can describe it is pancake,” said Robert Gretz, senior air safety investigator.
Investigators think they will be able to tell a lot more once they move the plane out of the field and look underneath. A preliminary report will be ready within five to 10 days.
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