Friday, June 20, 2014

Champion 7KCAB Citabria, Flying Tiger Aviation, N2978G: Accident occurred July 18, 2013 in Oak Ridge, Louisiana

http://registry.faa.gov/N2978G

NTSB Identification: CEN13FA420
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, July 18, 2013 in Oak Ridge, LA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/23/2014
Aircraft: CHAMPION 7KCAB, registration: N2978G
Injuries: 2 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 private pilot and instructor were practicing aerial spraying passes and turns associated with agricultural (ag) operations when the airplane stalled and collided with trees and terrain. Data downloaded from the onboard GPS revealed that after departure, the airplane flew direct to an intended practice area and conducted nine aerial spray passes. Each pass ended in an “ag turn” in the opposite direction. After the ninth pass, the airplane began the “ag turn” and entered a climbing left turn. The airplane then entered a climbing right turn to an altitude of 208 feet above ground level and slowed to a ground speed of 65 mph before the data ended at the location of where the airplane came to rest. The airplane impacted terrain in a steep, nose-down attitude consistent with a stall/spin. The private pilot had recently completed his instrument training with the instructor and had just started the Agricultural Aviation Basic Operations course with the flight school. The instructor was not an agricultural pilot and had no experience with aerial applications. As such, he was only authorized to provide tailwheel instruction in the airplane and ground school instruction on how to use a GPS when spraying and how to do an ag turn. It was unknown why the instructor and private pilot were practicing ag turns and spray passes in the airplane. Examination of the airplane found no preaccident mechanical discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation.

Postaccident toxicology testing indicated that the private pilot recently used marijuana and hydroxychloroquine, both of which would have been impairing at the levels found. Although the instructor also tested positive for several medications, it could not be determined if they contributed to the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The private pilot’s and the flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control while performing agricultural operations turns low to the ground, which resulted in a stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the private pilot’s impairment due to his recent use of marijuana and hydroxychloroquine.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 18, 2013, between 0650 and 0720 central daylight time, N2978G, a Champion 7KCAB, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain in Oak Ridge, Louisiana. The certified flight instructor and the private pilot receiving instruction were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to a private corporation and operated by Flying Tiger Aviation, LLC, Rayville, Louisiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. No flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed the John H Hooks Memorial Airport (M79), Rayville, Louisiana, between 0630 and 0700.

The purpose of the flight was to practice aerial spray passes and ag-turns. When the airplane did not return to Rayville, the flight school initiated a search and the airplane was located about 1000.

The airplane was equipped with a Lite Star II GPS, which is a guidance system for aerial applicators to help optimize spraying runs. The unit was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recorders laboratory in Washington DC where the accident flight was downloaded and plotted. A review of the data revealed the accident flight was about 19 minutes long and the GPS began recording when the airplane departed Rayville. However, there was too much damage to the unit's timing mechanism and an actual time of departure could not be determined. The airplane tracked northwest from the airport toward the intended practice area and conducted nine spray passes. Each pass ended in an "ag turn" back in the opposite direction. After the ninth spray pass, the airplane began the "ag turn" and entered a climbing left hand turn. The airplane then entered a climbing right hand turn to an altitude of 208 feet above ground level (agl) and slowed down to a ground speed of 65 miles per hour (mph) before the data ended. The last recorded data point was consistent with the location of where the airplane impacted terrain.

PILOT INFORMATION

The private pilot, who was seated in the front seat, held a private pilot certificate for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. His last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) first class medical was issued on November 1, 2010. According to the FAA, the pilot earned his instrument rating on July 1, 2013. At that time, he had a total of 274 flight hours. The pilot's personal logbook was never located.

The flight instructor, who was seated in the rear seat, held an airline transport pilot rating for airplane single and multi-engine land, single-engine sea and glider. He was also a ground instructor, and a certified flight instructor for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. A review of his electronic logbook, revealed he had a total of 20,585 flight hours. His last FAA second class medical was issued on December 19, 2012.

According to the chief pilot of Flying Tiger Aviation, LLC, the private pilot had recently completed his instrument training with the instructor and had just started the Agricultural Aviation Basic Operations course with the flight school. A review of dispatch records provided by the flight school revealed this was the pilot's seventh flight in the program and his second flight in the accident airplane, which was equipped with the Lite Star II GPS. The syllabus for the Agricultural Aviation Basic Operations course had 4 phases: airplane/systems knowledge, coordinated flight and tailwheel landings, commercial maneuvers, and introduction to spray runs, use of the Lite Star II GPS and forced landings. The instructor was not an agricultural pilot and had no aerial spraying experience; however, he did give ground instruction on how to use the Lite Star II GPS and how to execute an ag-turn, but was not authorized to provide flight instruction for agricultural operations. The only aspect of ag-training that the instructor was authorized to do was tail-wheel endorsements. Since the private pilot's logbook was never located it could not be determined if he had completed the tailwheel training portion of the syllabus and received a tail wheel endorsement from the instructor.

The chief pilot said the instructor wanted to start instructing agricultural students. Since the instructor did not have any aerial application experience, the chief pilot flew with him the day before the accident in an Ag-Cat and performed aerial application maneuvers. The chief pilot said the instructor "did not fly well at all" and thought he would fly the airplane much "smoother" than he did considering on his overall experience as a pilot. He was not sure why the instructor did not fly well that day.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

An on-scene examination of the airplane was conducted on July 19, 2013, by the NTSB Investigator-in-Charge (IIC). The airplane impacted wooded terrain in a steep, nose-down attitude and came to rest upright at the edge of a creek on a heading of 334 degrees. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the site. Broken tree limbs surrounded the main wreckage, which included the entire airplane except for the right wing tip and aileron. The right wing tip came to rest approximately 10-feet forward of the main wreckage. The trees directly above the where the wingtip came to rest exhibited several broken limbs and branches. The right aileron was found 3 to 4 feet behind the main wreckage. The airplane's engine remained attached to he airframe and was buried approximately two feet into the ground. The leading edges of both wings were crushed inward, and the cockpit area sustained extensive impact damage. Flight control continuity was established for the left aileron to the left wing root, the rudder and the elevator. Continuity for the right wing was not established due to impact damage. A review of photos provided by first responders revealed the tail section was partially folded over the top of the airplane and bent to the right. The tail section was later moved back and the roof was removed to extricate both pilots

The mixture and throttle controls were found in the full forward position, and most of the instruments were damaged to the point where a viable reading could not be obtained.

Both the front and back seatbelt/shoulder harness assemblies were secure to their respective attach points and unlatched. The latching mechanism was tested on each belt and both fastened securely.

The aircraft log was found in the wreckage. The last entry was made by the flight instructor for a 1.2 hour long flight he completed the previous day with the pilot.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1015, weather reported at Morehouse Memorial Airport (BQP), Bastrop, Louisiana, approximately 9 miles northwest of the accident site, was calm wind, clear skies, temperature 31 degrees C, dewpoint 24 degrees C, and a barometric pressure setting of 30.16 inches of mercury.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The autopsy on the pilot was conducted by the Moorehouse Parish Coroner's Office on July 19, 2013. The cause of death was determined to be, "multiple injuries."

Toxicological testing was conducted by the FAA's Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The pilot tested positive for the following:

Hydroxychloroquine was detected in the liver and blood.

>> 2.3205 (ug/ml) tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana) detected in the lung

>> 0.0445 (ug/ml) tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana) detected in the liver

r>> 0.0337 (ug/ml) tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana) detected in the blood

>> 1.205 (ug/ml) tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (marijuana) detected in the liver

>> 0.1387 (ug/ml) tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (marijuana) detected in the lung

>>0.1243 (ug/ml) tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (marijuana) detected in the blood

Hydroxychloroquine is used to treat malaria and to decrease inflammation in patients with lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. The pilot did not report a history of these medical conditions or the use of this drug to the FAA. Marijuana is a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It has mood altering effects including inducing euphoria and relaxation. In addition, marijuana causes alterations in motor behavior, perception, cognition, memory, learning, endocrine function, food intake, and regulation of body temperature. The autopsy on the flight instructor was conducted by the Moorehouse Parish Coroner's Office on July 19, 2013. The cause of death was determined to be, "multiple injuries."

Toxicological testing was conducted by the FAA's Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The flight instructor tested positive for the following:

Doxazosin was detected in the liver and the blood (cavity)

>> 0.612 (ug/ml) phentermine was detected in the blood (cavity)

Phentermine detected in the liver

Valsartan detected in the liver and the blood (cavity)

Yohimbine detected in the liver and the blood (cavity)

Doxazosin is marketed under the brand name Cardura. Chemically, it is a selective inhibitor of the alpha1 subtype of alpha-adrenergic receptors; it is used to treat hypertension and symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy. Valsartan is marketed under the brand name Diovan and is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist used to treat hypertension. Phentermine is a sympathomimetic amine used in the short term treatment of obesity and marketed under the brand names Adipex and Qsymia.
Yohimbine is an a2 receptor antagonist and is available by prescription for the treatment of male sexual dysfunction but may also be found marketed as an herbal supplement. The pilot did not report the use of Phenteramine or Yohimbine to the FAA.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A weight and balance calculation was conducted using both of the pilots weights listed in the autopsy reports. The amount of fuel on board at the time they departed was not known, so 11 gallons were calculated, which was a conservative amount and the minimum needed to complete the flight. Even with the minimum amount of fuel used for the calculation, and without compensation for clothing and pilot gear, the airplane was over gross by at least 32 pounds and outside/aft the center of gravity envelope.


  OAK RIDGE (KTVE/KARD) -- The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board have released their final crash report on the fatal Oak Ridge plane crash that happened back on July 18th, 2013.

The crash killed private pilot Jonathan Whitacre of Indiana and flight  instructor Clarence Collins of Dubach, La.

KTVE/KARD was told Collins was training Whitacre in a single-engine crop duster plane.

According to the NTSB crash report, a toxicological test was conducted on Whitacre's body by the FAA's Accident Research Laboratory, revealing he had marijuana in his lungs, liver and blood.

The report also reads Whitacre had Hydroxychloroquine in his liver and blood, which is used to treat malaria and decrease inflammation in patients with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The report reads Whitacre did not report a history of these medical conditions or the use of this drug to the FAA.

According to the report, a toxicological test performed on Collins' body revealed the presence of Doxazosin, Valsartan, Yohimbine and Phentermine in his liver and blood. Doxazosin and Valsartan are used to treat hypertension, Phentermine treats obesity.

The reports read autopsies performed by the Morehouse Parish Sheriff's Office revealed the causes of death for both me to be "multiple injuries."

MPSO said the plane left from Richland Parish around 7 a.m. the morning of July 18th and did not return.

The plane was found around noon in Oak Ridge.

The NTSB report reads the purpose of the flight was to practice aerial spray passes and ag-turns.

The plane's Lite Star II GPS system was sent to the NTSB recorders laboratory in Washington, DC and downloaded. The report reads its data shows the flight lasted 19 minutes. During that time, GPS data revealed the plane completed nine spray passes before making a right turn in the air at 208 feet above ground level, slowing down to a ground speed of 65 miles per hour.

After that point, the data ended.

The NTSB report reads that last recorded data point was consistent with the location of where the plane crashed.

According to the FAA, Whitacre had earned his instrument rating on July 1, 2013 and logged a total of 274 flight hours at the time of the crash.

The FAA's reports indicate Collins, who was instructing from the rear seat of the plane, was a certified ground and flight instructor for single and multi-engine land and instrument airplanes. He'd logged a total of 20,585 flight hours.

The NTSB report reads Collins was not an agricultural pilot and had no aerial spraying experience.

According to the report, the chief pilot of Flying Tiger Aviation, LLC out of Oak Ridge said Collins wanted to start instructing agricultural students. The chief pilot flew with Collins the day before the accident in an Ag-Cat and performed aerial application maneuvers.

The report reads the chief pilot said Collins "did not fly well at all" and he did not understand why Collins did not fly well that day.

NTSB's report reads the weather conditions on the day of the accident were calm winds and clear skies.

As far as the weight of the plane, the NTSB report calculated it using both pilots' weights and the minimum amount of fuel needed to complete the flight, which was 11 gallons. Without compensating for clothing and pilot gear, the report reads the airplane's weight was over gross by 32 pounds and outside the center of gravity envelope.


You can watch our initial coverage of that plane crash here.


Story, photo and video:   http://www.myarklamiss.com

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