14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 25, 2015 in Bennington, KS
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/01/2016
Aircraft: DELWYN SCHMIDT No model, registration: none
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The private pilot taxied out and departed for the personal flight from a private grass runway in an unregistered homebuilt airplane. A witness reported that, when the airplane reached 150 ft above the ground, the engine stopped. The pilot then turned the airplane back toward the runway, and it then dropped and impacted terrain.
The airplane did not have an airworthiness certificate, and no maintenance records were found. Examination of the engine pistons found evidence of scoring, consistent with piston seizure. The accident is consistent with a loss of engine power due to piston seizure and with the pilot subsequently losing airplane control while maneuvering back to the runway.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The unregistered airplane’s loss of engine power due to piston seizure. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s loss of airplane control while maneuvering back to the runway.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On October 25, 2015, about 1740 central daylight time, an unregistered amateur built airplane lost engine power shortly after departing a private airstrip near Bennington, Kansas. The private rated pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
A witness reported to the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector that he saw the airplane taxi back and forth several times and then depart. He added that when the airplane was about 150 feet in the air, he heard the engine suddenly stop. The airplane turned back to the runway; however, the airplane then fell, about 40 feet to the ground. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
PILOT INFORMATION
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single land. He also held a mechanic's certificate with airframe and powerplant (A&P) ratings. The pilot's last application for a medical certificate was dated November 9, 2011. On the application, he reported 450 total flight hours, with 5 hours in the previous six months. The medical certificate had expired; however, under the sport pilot rule he was medically eligible to fly as a light sport airplane, as long as he complied with the applicable FAA regulations. The pilot's flight logbook was not located.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
Little documentation on the airplane was found concerting the history of the airplane. The airplane did not an display a registration number, nor was there any record of the aircraft being registered. The aircraft maintenance records were not located during the course of this investigation. A family member reported the aircraft had been a gyrocopter, and the pilot had modified the craft into a fixed wing airplane; powered by a Rotax 582 two-stroke reciprocating engine. The aircraft had the wording "EXPERIMENTAL" on the side; however, there was no record of an airworthiness certificate.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
At 1753, the automated weather observation facility located about 10 miles south of the accident site recorded: wind from 120 degrees at 6 knots, 10 miles visibility, a clear sky, temperature 68 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 30 F, and a barometric pressure of 30.23 inches of mercury.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The airplane impacted terrain near a rural residence. The residence was also located near hay fields, and the pilot used a grass runway for an airstrip. The airplane came to rest inverted with the tube frame to the empennage folded. Both wings received substantial damage and remained attached to the fuselage. The front cabin area sustained heavy impact damage with the right main landing gear torn from the fuselage. The engine's three bladed propeller remained attached to the engine, fuel was present on site, the sparkplugs appeared normal, and when turned by hand, the engine rotated and had compression.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
The State of Kansas, Office of the Coroner, Ottawa County, Kansas, conducted an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was determined to be, "blunt traumatic injuries".
The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, conducted toxicological testing on the pilot. The specimens were not tested for carbon monoxide and cyanide. The test was negative for ethanol. The test was positive for Cetirizine, Hydroxyzine, Oxymetazoline, Promethazine.
The medical review noted that the prescribed medicines could have been administered in the hospital after the accident, or for an allergic condition noted before the accident flight.
TEST AND RESEARCH
A detailed engine examination was conducted on February 4, 2016, by a technical representative of Rotax under the auspices of the FAA inspector. The examination found discrepancies in the fuel system, carburetor jets, exhaust, and engine cooling system. Additionally, pitting consistent with detonation on one of the cylinders was observed. The examination found slight scoring on one of the piston, consistent with the beginning of piston seizure. The other piston on the twin cylinder engine, contained vertical scoring and seizure marks. The engine stoppage was consistent with piston seizure.
This type of piston seizure is commonly known as a 4 corner piston seizure and there are several contributing factors that can cause such an event.
- Not allowing engine to properly warm up prior to takeoff or full throttle application
- Too lean carb jetting (Main jet)
- Too hot of a spark plug range
- Insufficient fuel octane rating
- Detonation
- Incorrect exhaust timing
NTSB Identification: CEN16LA022
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 25, 2015 in Bennington, KS
Aircraft: DELWYN SCHMIDT Buzzwing, registration: none
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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On October 25, 2015, about 1740 central daylight time, an unregistered experimental amateur built airplane, lost engine power shortly after departing a private airstrip near Bennington, Kansas. The private rated pilot was fatally injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
A witness reported to the responding Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, that he saw the airplane taxi out and depart. He added that when the airplane was about 150 feet in the air, the heard the engine suddenly stop. The airplane turned back to the runway; however, the airplane just fell about 40 feet to the ground. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
The airplane was retained for further inspection.
Any witnesses should email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.
SALINA, Kan. (AP/WIBW) — Authorities say that the man injured after his small aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff in southern Ottawa County has died.
Officials informed 13 NEWS that the man has been identified as Delwyn Schmidt, 62 of Bennington, Kansas.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the crash of the experimental plane happened around 5:40 p.m. Sunday north of the Saline-Ottawa county line.
Authorities say the plane had only traveled about 100 to 200 yards before the pilot tried to make a turn to return home and the aircraft lost power. Officials say the pilot could not make an emergency landing.
The pilot, who was the only person on board, was transported to the Salina Regional Medical Center before being transferred to a hospital in Wichita.
An FAA spokesman says the homebuilt plane was destroyed when it crashed.
- Source: http://www.wibw.com
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