NTSB Identification: CEN16FA034
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, November 09, 2015 in Colorado Springs, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/26/2017
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N752C
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 his passenger departed on a cross-country flight. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported to the controller that he was having an engine problem and wanted to return to the airport. One witness heard the engine surge during the takeoff roll. Another witness stated that the airplane was on the ground longer than he expected but did not report hearing anything abnormal with the engine. A third witness stated that the engine sounded normal and a fourth witness reported seeing the airplane in a steep bank.
The airplane was damaged by impact and a postimpact fire. An examination of the engine, propeller, airframe, and related systems revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident. The damage to the airplane and the witness marks on the ground were consistent with the airplane being in a flat spin at the time of impact.
The density altitude at the time of the accident was 7,446 ft mean sea level. The majority of the pilot's flight experience was conducted at airports with a lower field elevation and he had flown to the accident airport on only two other occasions. It is likely that, after takeoff, the pilot misinterpreted the airplane's reduced engine power and decreased climb performance, due to the high density altitude conditions, as an engine malfunction. During the turn back to the airport the pilot exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack and experienced an aerodynamic stall and spin.
Although there was evidence that the pilot had used marijuana at some time prior, it is unlikely that the pilot was impaired by marijuana at the time of the accident. The pilot had been diagnosed with mild depression two months before the accident and had started treatment with sertraline. The pilot had not yet followed-up with his physician after starting treatment. Therefore, the investigation was unable to determine if the pilot may have been impaired by the symptoms of his depression.
The pilot was using diphenhydramine, cetirizine, and sertraline, which in combination significantly increased the risk of impairment over each medication alone. The experienced pilot was exposed to a high workload environment following the degradation of airplane performance, but would have been expected to safely fly the airplane. Therefore, it is likely that when the pilot was exposed to a high workload environment, due to the airplane's degraded takeoff performance, the combination of multiple medications likely impaired his ability to respond safely and, therefore contributed to the subsequent loss of control.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's loss of airplane control during the turn back to the airport after takeoff in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall and subsequent spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impaired performance due to his use of a combination of potentially impairing medications.
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver, Colorado
Cirrus Aircraft; Duluth, Minnesota
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama
Hartzell Propeller Inc; Piqua, Ohio
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Linkup Aviation LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N752C
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, November 09, 2015 in Colorado Springs, CO
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N752C
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 following is an INTERIM FACTUAL SUMMARY of this accident investigation. A final report that includes all pertinent facts, conditions, and circumstances of the accident will be issued upon completion, along with the Safety Board's analysis and probable cause of the accident:"
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On November 9, 2015, about 1052 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22 airplane, N752C, was destroyed when it impacted terrain north of the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), Colorado Springs, Colorado. A postimpact fire ensued. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Linkup Aviation LLC and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The personal flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Roanoke, Texas.
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control transcripts, the accident airplane contacted COS ground control frequency at 1046:41, reported that they were ready to taxi, and requested an intersection departure from alpha three. The controller responded "…fly runway heading maintain v f r at or below eight thousand five hundred…" and provided the departure frequency, and transponder setting. The pilot responded "alright we'll maintain eight thousand or below and ah departure is one two four." The controller cleared the pilot to taxi to runway 35L via alpha three.
At 1050:12 the pilot reported to COS air traffic control tower frequency that he was holding short of runway 35L at alpha three, ready for departure. The controller cleared the pilot for takeoff and later instructed the pilot to fly runway heading. At 1051:44 the pilot reported to the controller that he was "having engine problems we'd like to turn around." The controller instructed the pilot to enter a left downwind for runway 35L. No other transmissions were recorded from the accident flight.
One witness described hearing the engine surge during the takeoff. A second witness watched the airplane take off from the intersection. When he looked back to the airplane, he expected it to be airborne and observed it still on the ground. He estimated that the airplane was on the ground for several thousand feet before it became airborne and was between 100 and 150 feet above the ground when it passed him.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 63, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single engine land and instrument airplane ratings, last issued on November 4, 2004. He was issued a third class airman medical certificate on November 4, 2013. The certificate contained the limitation "Not valid for night flying or by color signal control. Must wear corrective lenses."
Remains of a Taxlog Tax record flight log were found adjacent to the main wreckage. The start date on the first page of the log could not be determined due to fire damage. The first flight appeared to be a business flight with the duration of 6.6 hours. The start tach time was 1,309.8 and the stop tach time was 1,316.4. There were 19 pages of records with the first discernable date starting on page 6 of the record in 2009. All of the flights recorded in the log were in the accident airplane. The last entry on the 19th page was dated March 17, 2015, and was from 52F to AEE/VGT, with a start time of 3,095 and end time of 3,108.2. Two flights prior to that, dated February 19, 2015, the pilot successfully completed the requirements of a flight review and an instrument proficiency check in the accident airplane. The flight was 2.7 hours in duration and included 3 landings and 3 instrument approaches.
On the pilot's medical certificate application, dated October 4, 2011, he reported a total pilot time of 2,350 hours. He did not report this information on the more recent application dated November 4, 2013.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident airplane, a Cirrus SR22 (serial number 0421), was manufactured in 2002. It was registered with the FAA on a standard airworthiness certificate for normal operations. A Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-N27B engine (serial number 688902) rated at 310 horsepower at 2,700 rpm powered the airplane. The engine was equipped with a Hartzell three-blade, variable pitched propeller.
The airplane was registered to Linkup Aviation LLC., operated by the pilot, and was maintained under an annual inspection program. The maintenance records were not recovered. An invoice provided by the family indicated that an annual inspection had been completed on October 23, 2015, at a Hobbs meter reading of 3,204.5 hours. During the inspection the sparkplugs were replaced and the 500-hour inspection was completed on the magnetos.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The closest official weather reporting station was COS located just south of the accident site. The routine aviation weather report (METAR) for COS recorded the wind at 200 degrees at 8 knots, sky condition broken clouds at 23,000 feet, temperature 14 degrees Celsius, dewpoint temperature -13 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.99 inches.
Calculations of relevant meteorological data indicated that the density altitude was 7,446 feet.
AIRPORT INFORMATION
City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), is a public, controlled (Class C) airport located 6 miles southeast of Colorado Springs, Colorado, at a surveyed elevation of 6,187 feet. The airport had 3 open runways, runway 17L/35R (13,501 feet by 150 feet, concrete), 17R/35L (11,022 feet by 150 feet, asphalt), and 13/31 (8,270 feet by 150 feet, asphalt).
The available runway for an alpha 3 intersection departure on runway 35L is 6,000 feet.
FLIGHT RECORDERS
The accident airplane was equipped with an Avidyne Primary Flight Display (PFD) and an Avidyne Multi-Function Display (MFD). The flash memory device from the MFD was recovered and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Lab in Washington, D.C., for download.
The MFD was heat damaged in the postimpact fire. The card was not read under normal procedures but rather examined using forensic software. The card contained Global Positioning System (GPS) track data and 61 engine log files – 1 associated with the accident flight. The data file was 11 minutes and 6 seconds in duration.
The recording began at 10:34:06 where GPS track data showed the aircraft was located near a tie down area between taxiways alpha 2 and alpha 3 at COS. Manifold Pressure was recorded as 12 inHg and RPM was recorded as 920 RPM immediately after engine start. For the first three minutes of the recording, values for exhaust gas temperature (EGT) cylinder #5 ranged from 0 deg. F to approximately 1,000 deg. F. The data could not be validated as a true reading of EGT for that cylinder or an anomalous reading due to a sensor issue. Additionally, anomalous values for EGT for cylinder #4 were recorded over the course of the entire event.
As the recording continued, values for EGT (aside from cylinder #4) and cylinder head temperature (CHT) rose as expected as the engine warmed up. Around 10:41:18, manifold pressure was increased slightly to 13 inHg and RPM also increased to a local maximum of around 1,560 RPM. Two RPM drops were present in the recording between 10:41:12 and 10:42:12. During this time, the GPS data showed the aircraft was taxiing to Runway 35L at COS. By 10:44:24, manifold pressure was increased to a value around 22 and 23 inHg. and RPM reached a maximum of 2,620 rpm. The recording ended at 10:45:12 where GPS data showed the aircraft was near the departure end of Runway 35L at COS.
The time stamp of the data from the MFD and the FAA ATC transcripts were not correlated or corrected for any error. For additional details on the recovery of the data from the MFD and illustrations of the recovered data please refer to the Cockpit Display – Recorded Flight Data Specialist's Factual Report in the docket for this investigation.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The airplane came to rest in a field ½ mile north of the departure end of runway 35L. The accident site was located in an open field at an elevation of 6,200 feet mean sea level (msl) and the airplane came to rest on an approximate heading of 270°. A large ground scar was located just to the east of the main wreckage. The scar was approximately 30 feet in length with three prominent craters consistent in location/position with the main landing gear and the engine. Fragments of fiberglass were located in each of the three craters. The field where the airplane crashed was burned in a radius immediately surrounding the wreckage and then to the north at least a half mile.
The airplane was upright, and the wreckage included the fuselage, engine and propeller assembly, both wings, and the empennage. The entire wreckage was charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire.
The fuselage included four seats, personal effects, and the instrument panel. The left cabin door separated from the airframe and was located 45 feet to the west of the wreckage. The right cabin door separated from the airframe and was located 45 feet to the north and the wreckage. The instrument panel was impact and fire damaged and provided the following information:
Kolsman window 30.01
Attitude indicator 20 degrees nose down
Airspeed indicator 0 knots
Engine gauges and remaining instruments did not provide any reliable readings.
Both the fuel mixture control and the throttle control were forward. Impact and fire damage precluded the functional check of these control cables. The throttle was idle at the engine and the cable was stretched in tension. The mixture was close to full rich at the engine and the control cable rod end was impact damaged. The fuel selector valve handle was in the left detent and the shaft was separated. The fuel selector valve assembly was disassembled and the valves were in a position consistent with the right fuel tank being selected.
Seatbelt assemblies consistent with lap belts and shoulder harnesses were found latched for both front seat occupants. Pilot and passenger seat energy absorption modules were crushed flat.
The right wing remained partially attached to the fuselage and included the right aileron and right flap. The right wing, right aileron, and right flap were charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire. Control continuity to the aileron was confirmed from the right aileron actuation pulley inboard the center portion of the fuselage. The right main landing gear separated and came to rest directly under the right wing. The main landing gear assembly was charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire.
The left wing remained partially attached to the fuselage and included the left aileron and left flap. The left wing, aileron, and flap were charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire. Control continuity to the aileron was confirmed from the left aileron actuation pulley inboard to the center portion of the fuselage. The left main landing gear remained partially attached and came to rest directly beneath the left wing. The main landing gear assembly exhibited exposure to heat and fire.
The flap actuator jack screw was extended about 2 inches consistent with 50 percent or 16 degrees of flap extension.
The empennage included the horizontal and vertical stabilizer, the rudder, and the elevator. The left and right sides of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator were impact damage and exhibited exposure to heat and fire. The vertical fin and rudder were impact damaged. Control continuity to the rudder and elevator was confirmed from the control surface forward to the center portion of the fuselage. The rudder and aileron interconnect Airworthiness Directive 2008-03-16 was not complied with.
The engine and propeller assembly separated partially from the fuselage at the firewall. The engine cowling was mostly consumed by fire. The propeller remained attached to the engine. One propeller blade came to rest directly beneath the engine.
The engine assembly exhibited exposure to heat and fire. The upper bank of spark plugs was removed and exhibited normal wear signatures as compared to a Champion Spark Plug chart. The number 3 spark plug was clean and the remaining plugs had sooty signatures. The cylinders were borescoped and exhibited normal signatures. The fuel pump was removed and the drive coupling was intact. The fuel pump could not be actuated by hand and exhibited fire damage.
The propeller blades were labeled A, B, and C for identification purposes in the report. Blade A was bent approximately 45° and exhibited leading edge scoring and abrasions at the bend. The tip of the blade was curled. Blade B was bent greater than 90° and exhibited leading-edge scoring. Blade C was bent nearly 180° and exhibited leading edge and blade face scoring. The pitch change knobs for blades A and B remain attached. The pitch change knob for blade C was no longer attached.
The Kevlar straps from the ballistic recovery parachute extended aft of the wreckage to the south. The parachute remained in its packed state. The rocket was located to the south of the parachute pack and remained attached to the pack and bridle. The propellant was expended. The enclosure cover was located adjacent to the wreckage.
No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
The El Paso County Coroner performed the autopsy on the pilot on November 10, 2015. The autopsy concluded that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries and the report listed the specific injuries.
The FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological tests on specimens that were collected during the autopsy (CAMI Reference #201500262001). Results were negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol. Testing of the blood and tissue revealed cetirizine, diphenhydramine, rosuvastatin, sertraline, and tetrahydrocannabinol.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
The engine was relocated to a laboratory for further examination.
The fuel injector nozzles were free of contamination. The plunger on the fuel manifold was free to move and the internal screen was unremarkable. The spark plugs were dark and sooted and exhibited normal signatures when compared to a Champion Spark Plug Chart.
The left magneto exhibited impact damage, exposure to heat and fire, and would not rotate when actuated by hand. Further examination revealed that the internal gear was partially melted along the gear teeth. Once the gear was removed the unit could be actuated by hand – further examination revealed no anomalies.
The right magneto exhibited impact damage, exposure to heat and fire, and would rotate with resistance when actuated by hand. Further examination revealed no anomalies.
The fuel pump exhibited impact damage and exposure to heat and fire. The spline was intact and the unit would not rotate when actuated by hand, but rotated with resistance when force was applied. Further examination revealed internal heat damage and was otherwise unremarkable.
The oil pump exhibited impact damage and exposure to heat and fire. The spline was bent and twisted consistent with rotation at the time of impact. Internal examination exhibited a witness mark consist with impact damage and was otherwise unremarkable.
The timing gear on the cam shaft was impact damaged and the piston head on the number three cylinder exhibited a witness mark consistent with a valve strike. The engine was otherwise unremarkable.
Propeller Exam
The propeller was examined at the wreckage storage facility.
Blade A was bent forward and the damage and scoring was consistent with impact at a positive angle under power. The blade B was bent aft and the pressure plate witness mark was consistent with high pitch at the time of impact. Blade C bent forward.
The pitch change knob for blade C was broken. The pitch change rod was broken on the non-pressurized side of the piston and the assembly contained oil and grease. Separation signatures were consistent with overload. The other two pitch change knobs were not broken.
Excessive amounts of grease were documented inside the hub cavity. Damage inside of the hub cavity and scoring on the propeller blades was consistent with power at the time of impact.
Cirrus SR22, N752C
NTSB Identification: CEN16FA034
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, November 09, 2015 in Colorado Springs, CO
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N752C
Injuries: 2 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 November 9, 2015, about 1055 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22, N752C, was destroyed when it impacted terrain north of the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (KCOS), Colorado Springs, Colorado. A post impact fire ensued. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Linkup Aviation LLC and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Roanoke, Texas.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot had received clearance to depart from runway 35L. Shortly after takeoff the pilot reported that he had lost engine power. One witness described hearing the engine surge during the takeoff. Several other witnesses described seeing the airplane wing's rock back and forth before the airplane "spiraled" to the ground.
The airplane came to rest in a field ½ mile north of the departure end of runway 35L. The wreckage included the fuselage, empennage, both wings, and the engine and propeller assembly. The airplane was damaged by the impact and the post-crash fire.
The closest official weather reporting station, located at KCOS, recorded the wind at 200 degrees at 8 knots, sky condition broken clouds at 2,300 feet, temperature 14 degrees Celsius, dewpoint -13 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.99.
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Denver, Colorado
Cirrus Aircraft; Duluth, Minnesota
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama
Hartzell Propeller Inc; Piqua, Ohio
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Linkup Aviation LLC: http://registry.faa.gov/N752C
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, November 09, 2015 in Colorado Springs, CO
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N752C
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 following is an INTERIM FACTUAL SUMMARY of this accident investigation. A final report that includes all pertinent facts, conditions, and circumstances of the accident will be issued upon completion, along with the Safety Board's analysis and probable cause of the accident:"
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On November 9, 2015, about 1052 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22 airplane, N752C, was destroyed when it impacted terrain north of the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), Colorado Springs, Colorado. A postimpact fire ensued. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Linkup Aviation LLC and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The personal flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Roanoke, Texas.
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control transcripts, the accident airplane contacted COS ground control frequency at 1046:41, reported that they were ready to taxi, and requested an intersection departure from alpha three. The controller responded "…fly runway heading maintain v f r at or below eight thousand five hundred…" and provided the departure frequency, and transponder setting. The pilot responded "alright we'll maintain eight thousand or below and ah departure is one two four." The controller cleared the pilot to taxi to runway 35L via alpha three.
At 1050:12 the pilot reported to COS air traffic control tower frequency that he was holding short of runway 35L at alpha three, ready for departure. The controller cleared the pilot for takeoff and later instructed the pilot to fly runway heading. At 1051:44 the pilot reported to the controller that he was "having engine problems we'd like to turn around." The controller instructed the pilot to enter a left downwind for runway 35L. No other transmissions were recorded from the accident flight.
One witness described hearing the engine surge during the takeoff. A second witness watched the airplane take off from the intersection. When he looked back to the airplane, he expected it to be airborne and observed it still on the ground. He estimated that the airplane was on the ground for several thousand feet before it became airborne and was between 100 and 150 feet above the ground when it passed him.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 63, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single engine land and instrument airplane ratings, last issued on November 4, 2004. He was issued a third class airman medical certificate on November 4, 2013. The certificate contained the limitation "Not valid for night flying or by color signal control. Must wear corrective lenses."
Remains of a Taxlog Tax record flight log were found adjacent to the main wreckage. The start date on the first page of the log could not be determined due to fire damage. The first flight appeared to be a business flight with the duration of 6.6 hours. The start tach time was 1,309.8 and the stop tach time was 1,316.4. There were 19 pages of records with the first discernable date starting on page 6 of the record in 2009. All of the flights recorded in the log were in the accident airplane. The last entry on the 19th page was dated March 17, 2015, and was from 52F to AEE/VGT, with a start time of 3,095 and end time of 3,108.2. Two flights prior to that, dated February 19, 2015, the pilot successfully completed the requirements of a flight review and an instrument proficiency check in the accident airplane. The flight was 2.7 hours in duration and included 3 landings and 3 instrument approaches.
On the pilot's medical certificate application, dated October 4, 2011, he reported a total pilot time of 2,350 hours. He did not report this information on the more recent application dated November 4, 2013.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident airplane, a Cirrus SR22 (serial number 0421), was manufactured in 2002. It was registered with the FAA on a standard airworthiness certificate for normal operations. A Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-N27B engine (serial number 688902) rated at 310 horsepower at 2,700 rpm powered the airplane. The engine was equipped with a Hartzell three-blade, variable pitched propeller.
The airplane was registered to Linkup Aviation LLC., operated by the pilot, and was maintained under an annual inspection program. The maintenance records were not recovered. An invoice provided by the family indicated that an annual inspection had been completed on October 23, 2015, at a Hobbs meter reading of 3,204.5 hours. During the inspection the sparkplugs were replaced and the 500-hour inspection was completed on the magnetos.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The closest official weather reporting station was COS located just south of the accident site. The routine aviation weather report (METAR) for COS recorded the wind at 200 degrees at 8 knots, sky condition broken clouds at 23,000 feet, temperature 14 degrees Celsius, dewpoint temperature -13 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.99 inches.
Calculations of relevant meteorological data indicated that the density altitude was 7,446 feet.
AIRPORT INFORMATION
City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), is a public, controlled (Class C) airport located 6 miles southeast of Colorado Springs, Colorado, at a surveyed elevation of 6,187 feet. The airport had 3 open runways, runway 17L/35R (13,501 feet by 150 feet, concrete), 17R/35L (11,022 feet by 150 feet, asphalt), and 13/31 (8,270 feet by 150 feet, asphalt).
The available runway for an alpha 3 intersection departure on runway 35L is 6,000 feet.
FLIGHT RECORDERS
The accident airplane was equipped with an Avidyne Primary Flight Display (PFD) and an Avidyne Multi-Function Display (MFD). The flash memory device from the MFD was recovered and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Lab in Washington, D.C., for download.
The MFD was heat damaged in the postimpact fire. The card was not read under normal procedures but rather examined using forensic software. The card contained Global Positioning System (GPS) track data and 61 engine log files – 1 associated with the accident flight. The data file was 11 minutes and 6 seconds in duration.
The recording began at 10:34:06 where GPS track data showed the aircraft was located near a tie down area between taxiways alpha 2 and alpha 3 at COS. Manifold Pressure was recorded as 12 inHg and RPM was recorded as 920 RPM immediately after engine start. For the first three minutes of the recording, values for exhaust gas temperature (EGT) cylinder #5 ranged from 0 deg. F to approximately 1,000 deg. F. The data could not be validated as a true reading of EGT for that cylinder or an anomalous reading due to a sensor issue. Additionally, anomalous values for EGT for cylinder #4 were recorded over the course of the entire event.
As the recording continued, values for EGT (aside from cylinder #4) and cylinder head temperature (CHT) rose as expected as the engine warmed up. Around 10:41:18, manifold pressure was increased slightly to 13 inHg and RPM also increased to a local maximum of around 1,560 RPM. Two RPM drops were present in the recording between 10:41:12 and 10:42:12. During this time, the GPS data showed the aircraft was taxiing to Runway 35L at COS. By 10:44:24, manifold pressure was increased to a value around 22 and 23 inHg. and RPM reached a maximum of 2,620 rpm. The recording ended at 10:45:12 where GPS data showed the aircraft was near the departure end of Runway 35L at COS.
The time stamp of the data from the MFD and the FAA ATC transcripts were not correlated or corrected for any error. For additional details on the recovery of the data from the MFD and illustrations of the recovered data please refer to the Cockpit Display – Recorded Flight Data Specialist's Factual Report in the docket for this investigation.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The airplane came to rest in a field ½ mile north of the departure end of runway 35L. The accident site was located in an open field at an elevation of 6,200 feet mean sea level (msl) and the airplane came to rest on an approximate heading of 270°. A large ground scar was located just to the east of the main wreckage. The scar was approximately 30 feet in length with three prominent craters consistent in location/position with the main landing gear and the engine. Fragments of fiberglass were located in each of the three craters. The field where the airplane crashed was burned in a radius immediately surrounding the wreckage and then to the north at least a half mile.
The airplane was upright, and the wreckage included the fuselage, engine and propeller assembly, both wings, and the empennage. The entire wreckage was charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire.
The fuselage included four seats, personal effects, and the instrument panel. The left cabin door separated from the airframe and was located 45 feet to the west of the wreckage. The right cabin door separated from the airframe and was located 45 feet to the north and the wreckage. The instrument panel was impact and fire damaged and provided the following information:
Kolsman window 30.01
Attitude indicator 20 degrees nose down
Airspeed indicator 0 knots
Engine gauges and remaining instruments did not provide any reliable readings.
Both the fuel mixture control and the throttle control were forward. Impact and fire damage precluded the functional check of these control cables. The throttle was idle at the engine and the cable was stretched in tension. The mixture was close to full rich at the engine and the control cable rod end was impact damaged. The fuel selector valve handle was in the left detent and the shaft was separated. The fuel selector valve assembly was disassembled and the valves were in a position consistent with the right fuel tank being selected.
Seatbelt assemblies consistent with lap belts and shoulder harnesses were found latched for both front seat occupants. Pilot and passenger seat energy absorption modules were crushed flat.
The right wing remained partially attached to the fuselage and included the right aileron and right flap. The right wing, right aileron, and right flap were charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire. Control continuity to the aileron was confirmed from the right aileron actuation pulley inboard the center portion of the fuselage. The right main landing gear separated and came to rest directly under the right wing. The main landing gear assembly was charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire.
The left wing remained partially attached to the fuselage and included the left aileron and left flap. The left wing, aileron, and flap were charred, melted, and partially consumed by fire. Control continuity to the aileron was confirmed from the left aileron actuation pulley inboard to the center portion of the fuselage. The left main landing gear remained partially attached and came to rest directly beneath the left wing. The main landing gear assembly exhibited exposure to heat and fire.
The flap actuator jack screw was extended about 2 inches consistent with 50 percent or 16 degrees of flap extension.
The empennage included the horizontal and vertical stabilizer, the rudder, and the elevator. The left and right sides of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator were impact damage and exhibited exposure to heat and fire. The vertical fin and rudder were impact damaged. Control continuity to the rudder and elevator was confirmed from the control surface forward to the center portion of the fuselage. The rudder and aileron interconnect Airworthiness Directive 2008-03-16 was not complied with.
The engine and propeller assembly separated partially from the fuselage at the firewall. The engine cowling was mostly consumed by fire. The propeller remained attached to the engine. One propeller blade came to rest directly beneath the engine.
The engine assembly exhibited exposure to heat and fire. The upper bank of spark plugs was removed and exhibited normal wear signatures as compared to a Champion Spark Plug chart. The number 3 spark plug was clean and the remaining plugs had sooty signatures. The cylinders were borescoped and exhibited normal signatures. The fuel pump was removed and the drive coupling was intact. The fuel pump could not be actuated by hand and exhibited fire damage.
The propeller blades were labeled A, B, and C for identification purposes in the report. Blade A was bent approximately 45° and exhibited leading edge scoring and abrasions at the bend. The tip of the blade was curled. Blade B was bent greater than 90° and exhibited leading-edge scoring. Blade C was bent nearly 180° and exhibited leading edge and blade face scoring. The pitch change knobs for blades A and B remain attached. The pitch change knob for blade C was no longer attached.
The Kevlar straps from the ballistic recovery parachute extended aft of the wreckage to the south. The parachute remained in its packed state. The rocket was located to the south of the parachute pack and remained attached to the pack and bridle. The propellant was expended. The enclosure cover was located adjacent to the wreckage.
No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
The El Paso County Coroner performed the autopsy on the pilot on November 10, 2015. The autopsy concluded that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries and the report listed the specific injuries.
The FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI), Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological tests on specimens that were collected during the autopsy (CAMI Reference #201500262001). Results were negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol. Testing of the blood and tissue revealed cetirizine, diphenhydramine, rosuvastatin, sertraline, and tetrahydrocannabinol.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
The engine was relocated to a laboratory for further examination.
The fuel injector nozzles were free of contamination. The plunger on the fuel manifold was free to move and the internal screen was unremarkable. The spark plugs were dark and sooted and exhibited normal signatures when compared to a Champion Spark Plug Chart.
The left magneto exhibited impact damage, exposure to heat and fire, and would not rotate when actuated by hand. Further examination revealed that the internal gear was partially melted along the gear teeth. Once the gear was removed the unit could be actuated by hand – further examination revealed no anomalies.
The right magneto exhibited impact damage, exposure to heat and fire, and would rotate with resistance when actuated by hand. Further examination revealed no anomalies.
The fuel pump exhibited impact damage and exposure to heat and fire. The spline was intact and the unit would not rotate when actuated by hand, but rotated with resistance when force was applied. Further examination revealed internal heat damage and was otherwise unremarkable.
The oil pump exhibited impact damage and exposure to heat and fire. The spline was bent and twisted consistent with rotation at the time of impact. Internal examination exhibited a witness mark consist with impact damage and was otherwise unremarkable.
The timing gear on the cam shaft was impact damaged and the piston head on the number three cylinder exhibited a witness mark consistent with a valve strike. The engine was otherwise unremarkable.
Propeller Exam
The propeller was examined at the wreckage storage facility.
Blade A was bent forward and the damage and scoring was consistent with impact at a positive angle under power. The blade B was bent aft and the pressure plate witness mark was consistent with high pitch at the time of impact. Blade C bent forward.
The pitch change knob for blade C was broken. The pitch change rod was broken on the non-pressurized side of the piston and the assembly contained oil and grease. Separation signatures were consistent with overload. The other two pitch change knobs were not broken.
Excessive amounts of grease were documented inside the hub cavity. Damage inside of the hub cavity and scoring on the propeller blades was consistent with power at the time of impact.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, November 09, 2015 in Colorado Springs, CO
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N752C
Injuries: 2 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 November 9, 2015, about 1055 mountain standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22, N752C, was destroyed when it impacted terrain north of the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (KCOS), Colorado Springs, Colorado. A post impact fire ensued. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Linkup Aviation LLC and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Roanoke, Texas.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot had received clearance to depart from runway 35L. Shortly after takeoff the pilot reported that he had lost engine power. One witness described hearing the engine surge during the takeoff. Several other witnesses described seeing the airplane wing's rock back and forth before the airplane "spiraled" to the ground.
The airplane came to rest in a field ½ mile north of the departure end of runway 35L. The wreckage included the fuselage, empennage, both wings, and the engine and propeller assembly. The airplane was damaged by the impact and the post-crash fire.
The closest official weather reporting station, located at KCOS, recorded the wind at 200 degrees at 8 knots, sky condition broken clouds at 2,300 feet, temperature 14 degrees Celsius, dewpoint -13 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.99.
They were married Oct. 23, 1976, in Galesburg, Ill. Mike, the son of Edward and Joanne Fritzel, was born April 21, 1952, in Galesburg, Ill. Paula, the daughter of Dale and Eileen Johnson, was born Sept. 2, 1952, in Galesburg, Ill. Mike was a graduate of Costa High School in Galesburg and Chadron College in Chadron, Neb. Paula was a graduate of ROVA High School in Oneida, Ill., and Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill. Mike was the owner and president of LinkUp International in Roanoke.
They were preceded in death by their parents and one brother-in-law. Survivors: Their sons are Nathan (Jackie) and Adam (Mallory), both of Roanoke. Their grandchildren are Owen and Baeya Fritzel. Mike's siblings include Barbara Linnenberger (Mike) of Fort Meade, Md., Tony Fritzel (Debbie), Jim Fritzel (Diane), Pat Fritzel (Diana), Anne Fritzel and Carol Lohmar (Mark), all of Keller. Paula's sisters are Linda Harding of Rio, Ill., and Marcia Brandenberg (Al) of Clinton, Ill.
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com
11 News has confirmed through family members the identities of the husband and wife killed in a plane crash near the Colorado Springs Airport Monday morning.
The family of Mike and Paula Fritzel did not want to comment, but confirmed that they were the two killed when the Cirrus SR22 plane Mike was flying crashed just after taking off from the Colorado Springs Airport.
The couple lived just outside Fort Worth, Texas.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says that Mike radioed air traffic control to say the plane had lost engine power just before the crash.
On the radio transmission to air traffic control, you can hear Mike calling out the problem.
Air traffic control: "(inaudible) say again.”
Mike: “I’m having engine problems. I’d like to turn around."
Witnesses say the plane spiraled out of control before slamming into the ground and exploding.
"It spiraled down, belly up, and then hit the ground...the wing and the tail fell off," Taji Moseley told us.
"It did some flips, and then it just came straight into the ground. It didn't skip or anything. It went down," Steve Holm recalled.
The crash caused a grass fire, which quickly spread. Firefighters were able to get it extinguished before it reached any structures. NTSB says an explosion after the plane hit the ground likely caused the fire.
The SR22 is equipped with a parachute system designed to bring the entire plane safely to the ground in the event of an emergency, but investigators say the parachute had not been deployed.
Experts 11 News talked to said the plane was likely not high enough to deploy the parachute.
Witnesses at the airport say the pilot chose not to utilize the entire runway, and instead take off from a taxiway closer to the runway's end. That means the pilot would have had less time to get the plane off the ground.
It is not known yet if that had anything to do with the crash, but the NTSB's investigation should reveal if that was the case.
The NTSB arrived on scene Monday afternoon. Tuesday they took apart the plane so that it could be better examined.
They said Tuesday there was nothing initially concerning with the engine.
"We will be examining the wreckage to try and understand why it was the pilot reported a loss of engine power,” NTSB Senior Air Safety Investigator Jennifer Rodi said. “Whether it was a mechanical anomaly with one of the planes systems, or the engine itself."
The investigation could take months, but the NTSB expects to have some preliminary results out by the end of this week or early next week.
Mike and Paula Fritzel
Cirrus SR22, N752C
According to Gazette news partner KKTV, the victims are Mike and Paula Fritzel, both 63, of Roanoke, Texas. The plane was registered to LinkUp Aviation LLC, and Fritzel owns LinkUp International, a company that provides sales, marketing and distribution services to the railway industry.
Shortly after leaving the runway at the Colorado Springs Airport, the pilot reported a loss of engine power just before the plane went down, said Jennifer Rodi, a senior air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board.
"Witnesses are describing the plane as spiraling or spinning toward the ground," she said late Monday afternoon.
There was an explosion after the impact, Rodi said, and a fire erupted, destroying most of the plane and burning one-half of a mile of the surrounding open field.
Thirty-five Colorado Springs Fire Department personnel responded to the scene, the Fire Department reported. Rodi said it has not been determined if the pilot and passenger died as a result of the crash or the fire.
The destination of the civilian aircraft was not known.
The Cirrus SR22 was equipped with a airframe parachute system, but it was not deployed, Rodi said. It's possible the plane would have had to be 1,000 feet above ground before the parachute would work, she added.
Weather conditions were "fairly good," she said, although there was a breeze.
"What role that may or may not have played will be a portion of our investigation," she said.
NTSB and FAA investigators from around the nation arrived at the scene mid-afternoon Monday and will conduct the bulk of the investigation Tuesday, she said.
Aviation experts will examine "man, machine and environment," Rodi said. Investigators will document the wreckage, including the engine, and look for mechanical problems. What role the temperature, dew points and winds may have played in affecting the performance at the time of takeoff also will be studied, she said.
The bodies were being removed from the site late Monday afternoon, and an autopsy, including a toxicology report, will be done on the pilot, which Rodi said is routine in a crash. The pilot's training and experience with such an airplane also will figure into the work.
An initial report could be released Friday or next Monday, Rodi said.
Some streets around the crash site remained closed Monday evening.
Sources:
http://www.koaa.com
http://gazette.com
http://kdvr.com
http://www.9news.com
http://denver.cbslocal.com
http://www.thedenverchannel.com
http://www.krdo.com
"Pilots failure to maintain airspeed and control after a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons".
ReplyDeleteSounds like failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall/spin. Why use a taxiway to depart?
ReplyDelete