14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, November 15, 2014 in Williamson, GA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 01/05/2016
Aircraft: DEHAVILLAND TIGER MOTH DH 82A, registration: N28681
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
According to the pilot, the airplane’s engine power and performance were “good,” and the airplane demonstrated its “gentle” handling characteristics through both left and right 30-degree banking turns. The airplane crossed the airport about traffic pattern altitude and then entered a vertical, nose-down descent. The pilot reported that he could not recall how the airplane transitioned from level flight to a nose-down descent. However, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain airspeed and that the airplane exceeded its critical angle-of-attack. During the descent, the pilot held the control stick fully aft, and the elevator gained enough authority to allow him to level the airplane just above ground level as he flew it between a parked airplane and the airport restaurant. The airplane then collided with a flagpole, the restaurant, and terrain before coming to rest upright. The pilot said that, once the airspeed increased sufficiently during the descent, he had full flight control authority. He reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall at an insufficient altitude to fully recover before collision with obstacles and terrain.
On November 15, 2014, about 1030 eastern standard time, a DeHavilland DH82A Tiger Moth, N28681, was destroyed during collision with structures and terrain following a loss of control in flight at Peach State Airport (GA2), Williamson, Georgia. The private pilot sustained minor injuries, while his pilot-rated passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from GA2 about 1020. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot was interviewed by telephone and provided a written statement. He said the purpose of the flight was to familiarize the passenger with the operation of the airplane.
According to the pilot, the preflight inspection, engine start, warm-up, taxi, and takeoff were conducted with no anomalies noted. He briefed the passenger that he would depart from runway 31, perform some turns, and return over the airport in order to enter a right downwind for landing on runway 13.
The airplane's engine power and performance were "good" and the airplane demonstrated its "gentle" handling characteristics through both left and right 30-degree bank turns. The pilot said he crossed the airport about traffic pattern altitude, and then remembered being in a vertical, nose-down descent. He said he had no recollection of how the airplane transitioned from level flight to descending nose down.
The pilot stated that he held the control stick fully aft during the descent, and that the elevator gained enough authority to level the airplane just above ground level, as he flew between a parked airplane and the airport restaurant. The airplane then collided with a flagpole, the restaurant, and terrain before coming to rest upright.
The pilot said that once the airspeed increased sufficiently during the descent, he had full flight control authority.
Photographs of the wreckage by a local media outlet revealed that the entire tube and fabric structure of the airplane was completely destroyed. A flag and flagpole were seen entangled with the wreckage. The engine and propeller were not visible.
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1945. Its most recent annual inspection was completed October 3, 2014, at 1,749 total aircraft hours.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. His most recent FAA third class medical certificate was issued in April 8, 2014. The pilot reported 1,400 total hours of flight experience, of which 305 were in the accident airplane make and model.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
http://registry.faa.gov/N28681
NTSB Identification: ERA15LA052
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, November 15, 2014 in Williamson, GA
Aircraft: DEHAVILLAND TIGER MOTH DH 82A, registration: N28681
Injuries: 1 Serious,1 Minor.
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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On November 15, 2014, about 1030 eastern standard time, a DeHavilland DH82A Tiger Moth, N684RA, was destroyed during collision with structures and terrain following a loss of control in flight at Peach State Airport (GA2), Williamson, Georgia. The private pilot sustained minor injuries, while his pilot-rated passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from GA2 about 1020. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot was interviewed by telephone and provided a written statement. He said the purpose of the flight was to familiarize the passenger with the operation of the airplane.
According to the pilot, the preflight inspection, engine start, warm-up, taxi, and takeoff were conducted with no anomalies noted. He briefed the passenger that he would depart from runway 31, perform some turns, and return over the airport in order to enter a right downwind for landing on runway 13.
The airplane's engine power and performance were "good" and the airplane demonstrated its "gentle" handling characteristics through both left and right 30-degree bank turns. The pilot said he crossed the airport about traffic pattern altitude, and then remembered being in a vertical, nose-down descent. He said he had no recollection of how the airplane transitioned from level flight to descending nose down.
The pilot stated that he held the control stick fully aft during the descent, and that the elevator gained enough authority to level the airplane just above ground level, as he flew between a parked airplane and the airport restaurant. The airplane then collided with a flagpole, the restaurant, and terrain before coming to rest upright.
The pilot said that once the airspeed increased sufficiently during the descent, he had full flight control authority.
Photographs of the wreckage by a local media outlet revealed that the entire tube and fabric structure of the airplane was completely destroyed. A flag and flagpole were seen entangled with the wreckage. The engine and propeller were not visible.
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1945. Its most recent annual inspection was completed October 3, 2014, at 1,749 total aircraft hours.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. His most recent FAA third class medical certificate was issued in April 8, 2014. The pilot reported 1,400 total hours of flight experience, of which 305 were in the accident airplane make and model.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office: FAA Atlanta FSDO-11
WILLIAMSON - According to information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a de Havilland Tiger Moth aircraft crashed upon departure from Peach State Airport in Williamson this morning.
According to local sources, one person was transported by Life Flight to Grady Hospital and the other was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. Pike County E911 received an emergency call at 10:39 a.m.
Kathleen Bergen, Public Information Officer for the FAA Southern Region, advised that two people were aboard the vintage biplane when it went down. "The FAA is investigating," she said. "We will update this statement when we have new information."
Federal Aviation Administration investigators say the de Havilland Tiger Moth plane crashed on departure from the Peach State Airport in Williamson.
The crash happened at about 10:30 Saturday morning.
The FAA is investigating.
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