Saturday, August 27, 2016

Boeing A75N1(PT17) Stearman, N999PP: Fatal accident occurred August 27, 2016 at Madras Municipal Airport (S33), Jefferson County, Oregon

Marcus Bruce Paine


The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Hillsboro, Oregon

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

http://registry.faa.gov/N999PP 


  
Location: Madras, OR
Accident Number: WPR16FA169
Date & Time: 08/27/2016, 1425 PDT
Registration: N999PP
Aircraft: BOEING A75N1(PT17)
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Low altitude operation/event
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Air Race/Show 

On August 27, 2016, about 1425 Pacific daylight time, a Boeing Stearman A75N1 (PT-17), N999PP, was destroyed when it impacted runway 34 during an aerial demonstration flight at Madras Municipal Airport (S33), Madras, Oregon. The commercial pilot received fatal injuries. The airplane was owned by Unusual Attitudes, LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the exhibition flight.

The pilot was one of several civilian aerial demonstration pilots who performed at the 2-day "Airshow of the Cascades," which included both static and aerial displays. According to information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the public event and aerial demonstrations took place Friday evening and Saturday, August 26-27. The pilot flew the accident airplane in a practice session Friday morning and again during a public demonstration later that evening, about 2000 local; both flights were uneventful, and the pilot completed the maneuver without incident.

The accident occurred during the second day of the event. Witnesses observed the airplane take off from runway 34 and reported that the airplane lifted off the runway and remained in a level attitude just above the runway surface before climbing to perform an inside loop. Witnesses reported that the airplane descended inverted from the top of the loop to a point at which the airplane's pitch attitude was about 10 to 20° nose-down. The airplane continued in that attitude until it impacted terrain adjacent to the runway edge. Witnesses described hearing no abnormalities with the sound of the engine and further stated that it sounded as if the engine was producing power from takeoff until impact. Video footage of the accident showed the pilot performing an inside loop and descending from the top of the loop into terrain.

Another aerial performer at the airshow reported that, before the accident airplane departed, he heard the pilot request over the radio the temperature and density altitude from the Air Boss (the individual responsible for air show operations), who estimated the temperature at 81°F and a density altitude about 4,600 ft. The other performer added that, during the evening practice the day before the accident, he observed the pilot perform the same maneuver. He described the maneuver as "sketchy" because of the low altitude at which the pilot completed the loop. He added that he previously asked the pilot how to perform this maneuver and the pilot stated that it was a "complete crapshoot;" at the top of the loop, the pilot would decide whether he would "pull through and continue the loop or rollout into a half-Cuban or an Immelmann," both of which are recovery aerobatic maneuvers.

The pilot successfully accomplished the inside loop maneuver the previous day, as well as during many previous air shows. 



Pilot Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 61, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Rear
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 06/28/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 10000 hours (Total, all aircraft) 

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for single- and multi-engine land, single-engine sea, and instrument airplane. The pilot also held flight instructor ratings for single- and multi-engine airplane and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on June 28, 2016; on that application, the pilot reported 10,000 hours total flight experience with 300 hours in the previous 6 months. 



Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: BOEING
Registration: N999PP
Model/Series: A75N1(PT17) UNDESIGNATED
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1941
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Aerobatic
Serial Number: 75-2389
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 04/20/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2683 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:  as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Pratt & Whitney
ELT: C91  installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: R985
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 300 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: Certificate of Authorization or Waiver (COA) 

The accident airplane was a single-engine, two-place open-cockpit biplane manufactured by the Boeing Airplane Company in 1941. The airplane was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985, air-cooled, 9-cylinder, radial engine equipped with a 2-bladed, variable pitch propeller. The fuselage and empennage comprised a synthetic fabric-covered steel tube structure, while the wings were primarily wood structure covered with the same type of fabric. The airplane was equipped with two tandem open cockpits; the pilot flew the airplane from the aft cockpit.

The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on April 20, 2016, at a total aircraft time of 1,271.0 hours. 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KS33, 2427 ft msl
Observation Time: 2129 UTC
Distance from Accident Site:
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 34°C / 2°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots, 330°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.91 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Madras, OR (S33)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Company VFR
Destination: Madras, OR (S33)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1425 PDT
Type of Airspace: Class G 

The 1429 automated weather observation at S33 included wind from 330° at 9 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 34°C, dew point 2°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.91 inches of mercury.

Given the atmospheric conditions, the calculated density altitude at S33 about the time of the accident was about 5,221 ft.

The pilot successfully completed a similar maneuver Friday evening, the day before the accident flight. The 1956 automated weather observation (timeframe of the flight) was: wind calm, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 22°C, dew point minus 4°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.89 inches of mercury. Given these atmospheric conditions, the calculated density altitude was about 3,890 ft. 

Airport Information

Airport: MADRAS MUNICIPAL (S33)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 2436 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 34
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5089 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

Madras Municipal Airport is located at an elevation of 2,436 ft mean sea level (msl) and was not tower controlled. Advisories and information pertaining to airshow operations were provided by the air boss. The airport had two asphalt runways, designated 16/34 and 04/22. The primary air show performance runway was 16/34, which measured 5,089 ft long and 75 ft wide.

A waiver area was established for airshow operations. The waiver stated, in part, that operations be conducted within a 5-nautical-mile radius of the airport from the surface to 14,000 ft msl, excluding airspace over any congested area or assembly of people. 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:N/A 
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 44.669167, -121.153333 (est) 

The wreckage was located adjacent to runway 34 about 3,400 ft from the approach threshold. The first identified point of contact was followed by an approximate 120-ft-long debris path that terminated at the main wreckage. The forward right side of the fuselage, engine cowling and the upper and lower right wings were consumed by post-impact fire.

All major structural components were located and accounted for at the site, and there was no evidence of any pre-impact engine, flight control, or airframe anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

A complete wreckage examination summary is located in the public docket for this case. 

Medical And Pathological Information

The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office, Portland, Oregon, autopsy report indicated that the pilot's cause of death was "multiple blunt force injuries."

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, conducted forensic toxicology examinations on specimens from the pilot; no carbon monoxide, ethanol, or any screened drugs of abuse were detected. 

Additional Information

Density Altitude (DA)

The hazards associated with high density altitude are outlined in FAA Pamphlet FAA-P-8740-2, Density Altitude:

Whether due to high altitude, high temperature, or both, reduced air density (reported in terms of density altitude) adversely affects aerodynamic performance and decreases the engine's horsepower output. Takeoff distance, power available (in normally aspirated engines), and climb rate are all adversely affected. Landing distance is affected as well; although the indicated airspeed (IAS) remains the same, the true airspeed (TAS) increases. From the pilot's point of view, therefore, an increase in density altitude results in the following:

• Increased takeoff distance.
• Reduced rate of climb.
• Increased TAS (but same IAS) on approach and landing.
• Increased landing roll distance.

Because high density altitude has particular implications for takeoff/climb performance and landing distance, pilots must be sure to determine the reported density altitude and check the appropriate aircraft performance charts carefully during preflight preparation. A pilot's first reference for aircraft performance information should be the operational data section of the aircraft owner's manual or the Pilot's Operating Handbook developed by the aircraft manufacturer. In the example given in the previous text, the pilot may be operating from an airport at 500 ft MSL, but he or she must calculate performance as if the airport were located at 5,000 ft. A pilot who is complacent or careless in using the charts may find that density altitude effects create an unexpected –and unwelcome – element of suspense during takeoff and climb or during landing.









NTSB Identification: WPR16FA169
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, August 27, 2016 in Madras, OR
Aircraft: BOEING A75N1(PT17), registration: N999PP
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 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 August 27, 2016, about 1425 Pacific daylight time, a Boeing A75N1 Stearman, N999PP, registered to Unusual Attitudes LLC and operated by the pilot sustained substantial damage when it impacted runway 34 during an aerial demonstration flight at Madras Municipal Airport (S33), Madras, Oregon. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The exhibition flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight.

The pilot was one of several civilian aerial demonstration pilots who performed at the 2-day "Airshow of the Cascades" which included both static and aerial displays.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) information, the aerial demonstrations took place Friday evening and Saturday, August 26 – 27. The pilot flew the accident airplane in a practice session the morning of Friday, August 26, and then during a public demonstration later the same evening; both flights were uneventful.

The accident occurred during the second day of the event. Witnesses observed the airplane take off from runway 34 and continue down the runway at a low altitude before climbing directly into an inside loop. The airplane reached the apex of the loop inverted, and continued its descent in the loop before impacting the ground in a wings-level, approximate 10 to 20 degree nose-low attitude during the last ¼ of the maneuver. Witnesses described hearing no abnormalities with the sound of the engine, and further stated that it sounded as if the engine were producing power from takeoff until impact. Video footage of the accident showed the pilot performing a loop and descending from the top of the loop into terrain.

The airplane wreckage was located on the eastern edge, about two-thirds down the length of runway 34. All components of the airplane necessary for flight were accounted for at the accident site. The wreckage was recovered and transported to a secured location for further examination.
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MADRAS, Ore. -   A pilot from Anchorage, Alaska died in the crash of his biplane during an initial loop shortly after takeoff at the Aishow of the Cascades at Madras Airport Saturday afternoon, Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Adkins confirmed.

Adkins said Marcus Bruce Paine, 61, was at the controls of the Stearman biplane when the crash occurred during the second day of the two-day air show

"The FAA was at the air show and will be conducting a thorough investigation of the crash," Adkins said. "The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is also investigating the crash, with the assistance of the Madras Police Department.."

Air show spectators watched in shock and dismay as the exhibition turned tragically wrong on a warm, blue-sky day in Madras. Their photos and videos showed the smoke trail of a giant looping maneuver, followed a dark plume of smoke rising from the airfield as first responders rushed to the scene.

The air show's Website profile said, "Marcus Paine brings the thrill of aerobatic flight from his hometown of Anchorage, where he has lived for more than 40 years.

"Raised on a homestead in Rabbit Creek, Marc has been a pilot for over 20 years and is a skilled instructor - teaching pilots of all skill levels new ways of thinking about the principles of flight.

"He is also a distinguished graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and a former U.S. Army Special Forces Officer, Airborne Ranger, and Jumpmaster. He commanded a combat dive A Team and worked projects throughout the Middle East and South America," it noted.

The Alaska Air Show Website profile said Paine's flight school teaches "unusual attitude recovery, stall/spin awareness and aerobatic flight."

FAA records show the acrobatic plane was manufactured in 1941 and registered to Paine's Universal Attitudes LLC in Tucson, Arizona.

Source:   http://www.ktvz.com

A long-time pilot who was a “skilled instructor” with extensive military service died in a biplane crash Saturday afternoon at the Airshow of The Cascades in Madras.

Marcus Bruce Paine, 61, was flying a Boeing Stearman biplane just before 3 p.m., according to a release from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

According to one spectator, the plane was doing a very low altitude loop with the smoke trail, and about three-quarters of the way around the loop, Paine tried to pull up but the bottom of the plane still hit the ground.

“It bounced pretty hard on its belly and then slid a few feet,” said Mike Albright, of Bend, who was there watching and photographing the show.

Paine lived in his hometown of Anchorage, Alaska, for more than 40 years, according to the Cascade Airshow website’s page about the pilot. He was raised on a homestead in Rabbit Creek.

The page described Paine as a “skilled instructor” who had been a pilot for more than 20 years. He taught “pilots of all skill levels new ways of thinking about the principles of flight,” according to the website.

Paine was a distinguished graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and a former U.S. Army Special Forces officer, airborne Ranger and jumpmaster. He also commanded a combat dive A Team, working in the Middle East and South America, according to the website.

Mike Wissing, a squadron commander with High Desert Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, was working the event at the time of the crash. He said it was emergency responders, already on standby at the air show, who pulled Paine out of the plane as it began to burn. Jefferson County Ambulance and Fire were at the airshow, according to the release.

“The airplane literally hit the ground and those people were running over,” Wissing said.

Wissing, of Redmond, and Albright both said an air ambulance also arrived quickly. Albright said the man was put in the vehicle ambulance, not the helicopter.

Right after the crash occurred there wasn’t commotion, Albright said.

“Everyone was kind of in shock a little bit to start, and the announcers were very calm,” Albright said, explaining announcers advised parents to steer their children away.

Both men described the plane as a yellow biplane.

Like Albright, Wissing described the accident as happening as the pilot came out of “a low-level loop.” Wissing said his guess is Paine had a high-speed stall.

“It’s a well-known thing that happens when you’re pulling up too hard,” he said, adding that there could have been something wrong with the plane though.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which was at the airshow, will investigate the crash, and officials from the National Transportation Safety Board will also be coming to investigate, according to the news release. The sheriff’s office will also investigate with the help of Madras Police Department.

Following the crash, people started to wrap up the show, according to Wissing and Albright, who did not know the pilot had died.

Wissing said he’s been going to the annual air show at the Madras Airport for 10 years. It’s the first crash he’s heard of happening at that airport.

“It’s very, very unfortunate, but it’s one of those things,” Wissing said.

A spokesman for the Madras Airport could not be reached for comment.

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