Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Kansas City, Missouri
Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Ozark Management Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N150U
NTSB Identification: CEN16LA222
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 19, 2016 in Henley, MO
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN AT-6D, registration: N150U
Injuries: 2 Serious.
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 airline transport pilot reported that, about 30 minutes into the local flight, the engine experienced a total loss of power, and he conducted a forced landing to a powerline cut. He stated that the airplane was at low altitude at the time of the loss of engine power because he had been taking photos of a friend’s farm.
Two witnesses observed the airplane conducting aerobatic maneuvers during the flight. One of the witnesses stated that the airplane was flying so low that it startled her horses as it passed overhead. She then observed the airplane roll inverted; shortly thereafter, the engine became silent. The airplane lost altitude while still inverted and impacted trees. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane’s operating instructions stated that, “Inverted flying must be limited to 10 seconds because of engine difficulties resulting from prolonged inverted flight.”
Because no anomalies were found during the examination, it is likely that the loss of engine power was a result of fuel disruption to the engine during the extended inverted flight.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s decision to conduct extended inverted flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel flow disruption. Contributing to the accident was his decision to conduct aerobatic maneuvers at low altitude, which precluded him from selecting a suitable landing site following the total loss of engine power.
On June 19, 2016, about 1440 central daylight time, a North American AT-6D, N150U, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees while maneuvering at a low altitude near Henley, Missouri. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Ozark Management Inc. and operated by the pilot under the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the Jefferson City Memorial Airport (JEF), Jefferson City, Missouri, at an unknown time on a local flight.
A deputy of the Cole County Sheriff's Department reported that about 1410 he observed an aircraft flying about 1,500 ft above ground level (agl). He stated that he observed the airplane perform an aerobatic maneuver – a loop. The airplane then departed from his view to the north behind his car. He rolled down his car window and said that the engine sounded like an "old P-51 Mustang."
The deputy was later notified by dispatch about 1445 that an airplane accident had occurred. He arrived at the scene about 1453. He noted that the accident aircraft was same type of WWII airplane and had the same markings as the one he had observed at 1410.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed a witness who observed the airplane before it crashed. The witness stated that she observed the airplane flying at a low level over the farm fields near her property. She stated that the airplane was so low that it startled her horses as it flew overhead. She stated that the engine was operating as it flew overhead. Then she observed the airplane fly inverted, but she was not sure how long it was inverted. The airplane's engine became silent shortly after it went inverted. The airplane lost altitude while still inverted and she heard a crashing sound as it impacted the trees.
FAA inspectors examined the airplane wreckage at the accident site. The inspectors reported that the airplane crashed into a wooded area. The initial point of impact was a tree about 325 ft south of the main wreckage. The debris field extended about 300 feet south of the aircraft's final resting place. There was a strong odor of fuel and oil in the immediate area of the aircraft fuselage which was found inverted in a clearing. The left wing was separated from the fuselage and was lying adjacent to the fuselage. The right wing had separated from the fuselage and was lying approximately 50 feet south of the aircraft. The main landing gear were still mounted to the underwing structures and were in the retracted position. The forward cockpit had sustained significant impact damage. The pilot seat was intact, but broken from its mount with the seatbelts intact. The instrument panel was broken and most the instrument gauge glass was broken; the switches were crushed; and all the circuit breakers were pushed in (not popped). The fuel selector was set to the 20-gallon reserve setting. The flap handle was found in the up position; the throttle was full open; the mixture was full rich; and the RPM setting was in the mid position between increase and decrease. The rear cockpit had minor damage to the structure surrounding the occupant. The seat was intact on its mount and the seatbelts were also intact. The cockpit glass on the entire cockpit was broken. The aircraft engine cowling was severely damaged. The propeller blades were bent aft and had minimal chordwise scratching or leading edge nicks or gouges. The engine fuel filter assembly was examined. The filter had minor debris present. The electric fuel pump was examined and the shaft was manually rotated. The fuel pump operated properly and moved the residual fuel it contained from one side of the pump to the other.
The North American AT-6D Flight Operating Instructions listed prohibited maneuvers. The prohibited maneuvers included: 1) outside loops, 2) inverted flight in excess of 10 seconds, 3) snap rolls in excess of 130 mph, 4) slow rolls in excess of 190 mph are prohibited, and 5) spins and stalls when normal gross weight is exceeded. The operating instructions also included this statement: "Inverted flying must be limited to 10 seconds because of engine difficulties resulting from prolonged inverted flight."
FAA inspectors interviewed the pilot and passenger. Neither remembered what occurred during the accident, but they stated that no aerobatic maneuvers were flown during the accident flight.
In a written statement, the pilot made the following statement, "Sightseeing trip, about 30 minutes into the flight the engine made a pop and the prop stopped. I was low from taking pictures of a friend's farm. We forced landed into a powerline cut. That's the last I remember." The pilot also stated that the cause of the engine's loss of power could be attributed to the corrosion of the supercharger bearings, which when they fail, it causes the supercharger to wobble. The supercharger then starts to contact the engine case causing fine metal filings to build in the oil which results in the engine failing from oil starvation.
At 1353, the surface weather observation at JEF was: wind 200 degrees at 10 kts; 10 miles visibility; few clouds at 5,500 ft; scattered clouds at 7,000 ft; temperature 32 degrees C; dew point 19 degrees C; altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.
NTSB Identification: CEN16LA222
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 19, 2016 in Henley, MO
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN AT-6D, registration: N150U
Injuries: 2 Serious.
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 June 19, 2016, about 1445 central daylight time, a North American AT-6D, N150U, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees while maneuvering at a low altitude near Henley, Missouri. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Ozark Management Inc. and operated by the pilot under the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the Jefferson City Memorial Airport (JEF), Jefferson City, Missouri, at an unknown time on a local flight.
At 1353, the surface weather observation at JEF was: wind 200 degrees at 10 kts; 10 miles visibility; few clouds at 5,500 ft; scattered clouds at 7,000 ft; temperature 32 degrees C; dew point 19 degrees C; altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.
A single-engine airplane crashed onto a farm in southern Cole County Sunday afternoon, and the two passengers were flown by helicopter to University Hospital with potential life-threatening injuries. The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Kansas City, Missouri
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board:https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Ozark Management Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N150U
NTSB Identification: CEN16LA222
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 19, 2016 in Henley, MO
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN AT-6D, registration: N150U
Injuries: 2 Serious.
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 June 19, 2016, about 1440 central daylight time, a North American AT-6D, N150U, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees while maneuvering at a low altitude near Henley, Missouri. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Ozark Management Inc. and operated by the pilot under the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the Jefferson City Memorial Airport (JEF), Jefferson City, Missouri, at an unknown time on a local flight.
A deputy of the Cole County Sheriff's Department reported that about 1410 he observed an aircraft flying about 1,500 ft above ground level (agl). He stated that he observed the airplane perform an aerobatic maneuver – a loop. The airplane then departed from his view to the north behind his car. He rolled down his car window and said that the engine sounded like an "old P-51 Mustang."
The deputy was later notified by dispatch about 1445 that an airplane accident had occurred. He arrived at the scene about 1453. He noted that the accident aircraft was same type of WWII airplane and had the same markings as the one he had observed at 1410.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed a witness who observed the airplane before it crashed. The witness stated that she observed the airplane flying at a low level over the farm fields near her property. She stated that the airplane was so low that it startled her horses as it flew overhead. She stated that the engine was operating as it flew overhead. Then she observed the airplane fly inverted, but she was not sure how long it was inverted. The airplane's engine became silent shortly after it went inverted. The airplane lost altitude while still inverted and she heard a crashing sound as it impacted the trees.
FAA inspectors examined the airplane wreckage at the accident site. The inspectors reported that the airplane crashed into a wooded area. The initial point of impact was a tree about 325 ft south of the main wreckage. The debris field extended about 300 feet south of the aircraft's final resting place. There was a strong odor of fuel and oil in the immediate area of the aircraft fuselage which was found inverted in a clearing. The left wing was separated from the fuselage and was lying adjacent to the fuselage. The right wing had separated from the fuselage and was lying approximately 50 feet south of the aircraft. The main landing gear were still mounted to the underwing structures and were in the retracted position. The forward cockpit had sustained significant impact damage. The pilot seat was intact, but broken from its mount with the seatbelts intact. The instrument panel was broken and most the instrument gauge glass was broken; the switches were crushed; and all the circuit breakers were pushed in (not popped). The fuel selector was set to the 20-gallon reserve setting. The flap handle was found in the up position; the throttle was full open; the mixture was full rich; and the RPM setting was in the mid position between increase and decrease. The rear cockpit had minor damage to the structure surrounding the occupant. The seat was intact on its mount and the seatbelts were also intact. The cockpit glass on the entire cockpit was broken. The aircraft engine cowling was severely damaged. The propeller blades were bent aft and had minimal chordwise scratching or leading edge nicks or gouges. The engine fuel filter assembly was examined. The filter had minor debris present. The electric fuel pump was examined and the shaft was manually rotated. The fuel pump operated properly and moved the residual fuel it contained from one side of the pump to the other.
The North American AT-6D Flight Operating Instructions listed prohibited maneuvers. The prohibited maneuvers included: 1) outside loops, 2) inverted flight in excess of 10 seconds, 3) snap rolls in excess of 130 mph, 4) slow rolls in excess of 190 mph are prohibited, and 5) spins and stalls when normal gross weight is exceeded. The operating instructions also included this statement: "Inverted flying must be limited to 10 seconds because of engine difficulties resulting from prolonged inverted flight."
FAA inspectors interviewed the pilot and passenger. Neither remembered what occurred during the accident, but they stated that no aerobatic maneuvers were flown during the accident flight.
In a written statement, the pilot made the following statement, "Sightseeing trip, about 30 minutes into the flight the engine made a pop and the prop stopped. I was low from taking pictures of a friend's farm. We forced landed into a powerline cut. That's the last I remember." The pilot also stated that the cause of the engine's loss of power could be attributed to the corrosion of the supercharger bearings, which when they fail, it causes the supercharger to wobble. The supercharger then starts to contact the engine case causing fine metal filings to build in the oil which results in the engine failing from oil starvation.
At 1353, the surface weather observation at JEF was: wind 200 degrees at 10 kts; 10 miles visibility; few clouds at 5,500 ft; scattered clouds at 7,000 ft; temperature 32 degrees C; dew point 19 degrees C; altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.
NTSB Identification: CEN16LA222
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, June 19, 2016 in Henley, MO
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN AT-6D, registration: N150U
Injuries: 2 Serious.
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 June 19, 2016, about 1445 central daylight time, a North American AT-6D, N150U, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees while maneuvering at a low altitude near Henley, Missouri. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Ozark Management Inc. and operated by the pilot under the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the Jefferson City Memorial Airport (JEF), Jefferson City, Missouri, at an unknown time on a local flight.
At 1353, the surface weather observation at JEF was: wind 200 degrees at 10 kts; 10 miles visibility; few clouds at 5,500 ft; scattered clouds at 7,000 ft; temperature 32 degrees C; dew point 19 degrees C; altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.
A single-engine airplane crashed onto a farm in southern Cole County Sunday afternoon, and the two passengers were flown by helicopter to University Hospital with potential life-threatening injuries.
COLE COUNTY, Mo. - UPDATE 6/20: Authorities have identified the two people on board a small plane when it crashed Sunday.
Capt. John Wheeler with the Cole County Sheriff's Department says 33-year-old John Abbott and 68-year-old Mark Blume were the two men on board during the crash. They say Abbott was the pilot and Blume was the passenger of the plane.
A family member tells us the two are related by marriage. Abbott is apparently Blume's daughter's husband.
ORIGINAL: A single-engine plane crashed in southern Cole County around 2:30 Sunday afternoon.
The plane crashed in the 1600 block of North Teal Bottom Road in Henley.
Cole County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Mike Rackers said a man in his 30's and another man in his 60's were inside the plane.
The men were flown to University Hospital for immediate surgery.
Capt. John Wheeler with the Cole County Sheriff's Department said the crash area is now blocked off until the Federal Aviation Administration comes to investigate. Wheeler said FAA officials will be at the site Monday.
Rackers said a hazmat crew is responding to the scene to stop a fuel leak. He said there was no fire after the crash.
Both the pilot and co-pilot had managed to get out of the mangled plane and were tending to each other's injuries when emergency responders arrived at the scene, said Mike Rackers, assistant chief of the Cole County Fire Protection District. The victims' names were not released on Sunday, but both were men — one apparently in his 30s and the other in his 60s.
"The aircraft is in pretty bad shape," said Capt. John Wheeler with the Cole County Sheriff's Department. "I was very surprised to hear that the individuals were actually out of the aircraft and tending to themselves. The pilot, I think, must have done a pretty good job trying to set it down and keeping them out of danger. That or the grace of God, because the aircraft is pretty torn up."
The only call received by authorities was from the property owner, who saw a low-flying aircraft then heard a loud crash at about 2:30 p.m. The property is located near Henley, at 1610 N. Teal Bottom Road, near its intersection with South Teal Bottom.
One of the men had injuries to his chest and face, while the other suffered an impalement to his head, possibly from a stick, said Kevin Wieberg, public information officer for Cole County Emergency Medical Services.
"Both were conscious upon our arrival," Wieberg said. "They did treat each other, rendering first aid. Our units both cared for the patients and were able to successfully and safely load them on the helicopters and get them to the University (Hospital) and get them further care."
The two-seat aircraft has the words "MARINES" across it, the number 54 and a World War II-era star and bars emblem. Also written on the plane under the cockpit area was "Paul Poberenzy EAA #1." Poberenzy founded the Experimental Aircraft Association, and died at the age of 91 in 2013.
"When we arrived, we found both patients out of the plane. They were tending to each other, and we started patient care," Rackers said.
"Air ambulance" helicopters responded from Lake Regional Hospital and University Hospital in Columbia, Wieberg said. Each transferred one patient. Both patients were responsive and alert, but had potentially life-threatening injuries, he said.
His agency turned over the scene to the Cole County Sheriff's Department, which secured the area and will turn the scene over to the National Transportation Safety Board today for investigation into the cause of the crash.
It was a sunny day, but Wheeler, who has military experience in aviation, said there could be a number of potential causes.
"There's a plethora of things that could happened," Wheeler said. "Flight control issues. Engine issues. We'll have to wait for the FAA to come in, and they'll question everyone who was at the scene today."
Wheeler said his department has been in contact with the Federal Aviation Administration, which will be on the scene tomorrow to start its investigation.
The crash was about a third of a mile down a private drive, and not near any residential structure. The area was cordoned off with tape, and no one was being allowed to touch the aircraft until the FAA arrives on the scene, Wheeler said.
Most of the plane appeared to be intact, but Wheeler said several pieces were broken off.
Three Rivers Electric was also on the scene, because officials believe a high-wire was taken down by the plane.
Both Three Rivers and the Cole County Fire Protection District have locations just a few miles from the site of the crash.
Wheeler said he can't recall another downed plane while working for Cole County, other than a call about seven years ago that turned out to be a false alarm. Back when he worked for the Jefferson City Police Department, he said, there was a small plane crash in the city.
"It is a rare occurrence," he said. "And everyone's just thankful that, No. 1, someone saw the aircraft flying low like that. So luckily, we had some people who were able to locate the aircraft in a quick time and let these people (first responders) do their job, a phenomenal job, in getting those two victims to the hospital."
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