Analysis
The private pilot was landing the airplane on runway 31 in visual meteorological conditions when witnesses observed the airplane in a nose-low, steep-left-bank attitude west of the runway over grassy terrain. A second later, the airplane impacted the terrain. An examination of the accident site revealed propeller slash marks about 1,800 ft from the approach end of runway 31. The initial point of a 200-foot-long debris path was located 385 ft from the slash marks on a 235° magnetic heading, and the airplane came to rest upright at the end of the debris path with its nose oriented northeast.
During the wreckage recovery, both main and the nose landing gear were found in a retracted position. During the postaccident examination, the throttle, mixture and propeller control levers were observed positioned full forward. The left and right main landing gear doors and the fuselage bottom skin exhibited numerous scratches and paint transfer consistent with the airplane's lower surface contacting the runway with the landing gear retracted. Both propeller blade tips were bent and curled aft, and the blades displayed numerous span-wise scratches from about mid span to the blade tips consistent with the propeller blades contacting the runway. The examination revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
It is likely that, during the landing sequence, the pilot realized that the landing gear was retracted and aborted the landing by adding full power. During the aborted landing, the pilot did not maintain control of the airplane, which rolled to the left and impacted terrain.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's loss of control during an aborted landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to extend the landing gear before touchdown.
Findings
Aircraft
Lateral/bank control - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Main landing gear - Not used/operated (Factor)
Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)
Forgotten action/omission - Pilot (Factor)
Factual Information
History of Flight
Landing
Landing gear not configured
Approach-VFR go-around
Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Richard Gregory Sperling
Richard Gregory Sperling of Lyle, Washington died August 1, 2016 doing what he loved most- flying. He served with the Air Force in the Vietnam War. Working at the Lockheed and Todd shipyards, he learned novel types of welding. From his father, a flight instructor during World War II, Richard gained an interest in flying and went on to repair, buy and fly several different kinds of planes.
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
Location: The Dalles, OR
Accident Number: WPR16FA154
Date & Time: 08/01/2016, 1100 PDT
Registration: N528HZ
Aircraft: SPERLING RICHARD G LANCAIR 360
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Landing gear not configured
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On August 1, 2016, about 1100 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Lancair 360, N528HZ, impacted terrain while landing on runway 31 at Columbia Gorge Regional/The Dalles Municipal Airport (DLS), The Dalles, Oregon. The pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from DLS about 1030.
Two witnesses, located on the ramp adjacent to the refueling area, observed the airplane west of the runway in a nose-low, steep-left-bank attitude with the left wing pointed directly towards the ground. A second later, the airplane impacted the terrain. One witness reported that, following the impact, the airplane cartwheeled and slid on its belly before it came to rest.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 70, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied:
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/28/2014
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: (Estimated) 1860 hours (Total, all aircraft)
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine and multi-engine land ratings. He held a third-class airman medical certificate issued on April 28, 2014, with the limitation that he must have available glasses for near vision. At the time of his last medical exam, the pilot reported flight experience that included 1,860 total hours and 104 hours in the last 6 months.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Manufacturer: SPERLING RICHARD G
Registration: N528HZ
Model/Series: LANCAIR 360 NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2014
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 553-320-300
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection:
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-C1C
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 240 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
The two-seat, single-engine, low-wing, retractable landing gear airplane was manufactured by the pilot in 2014. It was powered by an experimental Textron Lycoming IO-360-C1C engine, rated at 240 horsepower. The airplane was equipped with a Hartzell two-bladed variable-pitch propeller, model HC-E2YR-1BF/F7068-2. A review of available maintenance records showed that the engine was disassembled and inspected on March 4, 2014, due to low oil pressure. The engine was subsequently rebuilt and installed on the accident airplane at an undetermined date. The airframe records were not available to investigators during the investigation.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KDLS, 210 ft msl
Observation Time: 0953 PDT
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 105°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 21°C / 11°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 10 knots, 340°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.02 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: The Dalles, OR (DLS)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: The Dalles, OR (DLS)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1030 PDT
Type of Airspace:
At 0953, the weather conditions at DLS included wind from 340° at 10 knots, 10 miles visibility, temperature of 21°C, dew point temperature of 11°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.02 inches of mercury.
Airport Information
Airport: COLUMBIA GORGE RGNL/THE DALLES (DLS)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 246 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 31
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5097 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Unknown
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 45.619444, -121.168333 (est)
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the accident site and the surrounding area. The examination revealed 6 equally-spaced propeller slash marks on runway 31 about 1,800 ft from the approach end. A ground scar and a part of the left-wing tip were observed in a grassy area located 385 ft from the propeller marks on a heading of about 296o magnetic. The airplane wreckage debris path was about 200 ft in length on a heading of about 235o magnetic. The airplane came to rest upright with its nose oriented northeast.
The left wing and its respective carry-through structure had separated from the fuselage, and parts were dispersed along the debris path. All airframe components were found with the main wreckage along with all flight control surfaces, which had remained attached to their respective hinges. Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit controls to all primary flight control surfaces. Multiple separations were observed in various control cables, consistent with impact.
During the wreckage recovery, the FAA inspector observed that both main and the nose landing gear were in a retracted position. The left and right main landing gear doors and the fuselage bottom skin exhibited numerous scratches and paint transfer consistent with the airplane's lower surface contacting the runway with the landing gear retracted. No evidence of pre-impact anomalies was found with the landing gear system.
The two-bladed propeller assembly remained attached to the crankshaft's propeller flange. Both blade tips were bent and curled aft, and the blades displayed numerous span-wise scratches from about mid span to the blade tips consistent with the propeller blades contacting the runway.
The engine remained attached to the airframe, and the engine mounts were intact. All engine accessories remained attached to the engine. The air filter remained attached to its bracket and exhibited signs of impact damage. The fuel pump and the fuel lines remained attached to the engine and to their respective cylinders. The fuel selector handle was found in the "RIGHT" tank position. Fuel was present in the airplane; however, the fuel quantity was not determined. The needle on the fuel gauge indicated 1/2.
The top sparkplugs were removed from their respective cylinders and exhibited signatures consistent with normal operation. The electrode areas displayed no mechanical deformation. A compression test was conducted and cylinder Nos.1, 3 and, 4 produced compression and suction during the propeller rotation. The No. 2 cylinder did not produce any compression or suction due to impact damage. The throttle and mixture controls remained attached to their respective cockpit controls and their control levers. The throttle, mixture, and propeller control levers were positioned full forward.
The examination revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operations.
The complete accident site summary and the examination report are available in the public docket for this accident.
Medical And Pathological Information
Klickitat County Coroner's Office, Goldendale, Washington, completed an autopsy on the pilot and concluded that the cause of death was blunt force injuries. The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology on specimens from the pilot. No ethanol was present in urine; ketamine was detected in urine and blood. Ketamine is an injectable, rapidly acting general anesthetic agent that was administered during the pilot's postaccident transport to the hospital.
http://registry.faa.gov/N528HZ
NTSB Identification: WPR16FA154
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 01, 2016 in The Dalles, OR
Aircraft: SPERLING RICHARD G LANCAIR 360, registration: N528HZ
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 1, 2016, about 1100 Pacific daylight time, a Lancair 360, N528HZ, was destroyed after it impacted terrain while landing at Columbia Gorge Regional/The Dalles Municipal Airport (DLS), The Dalles, Oregon. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from DLS at about 1030.
Moments before the impact, a witness observed the airplane in a nose-low attitude with the right wing pointed up and the left wing pointed directly towards the ground. A second later, the airplane impacted the terrain. A witness and another person tended to the pilot where they waited for the emergency medical services. The pilot was then transported to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries approximately an hour and a half later.
The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
In what is believed to be the first fatality at the Columbia Gorge Regional Airport in Dallesport, longtime Hood River pilot Richard Sperling died Monday morning after his plane crashed on landing.
The FAA responded to the crash from Hillsboro, and was on scene until about 9 p.m. Monday, said Rolf Anderson, an airport manager.
Sperling was flying a Lancair 360, a type of home-built plane.
A witness on scene said the plane was approaching to land when a wing appeared to dip and strike the ground. The plane hit the runway and slid into a taxiway that leads to a hangar area. Debris was scattered in a wide swath across the runway and taxiway.
Anderson said, “We happened to have the Coast Guard here traveling through. One of them saw the accident. The Coast Guard group was with Mr. Sperling within 45 seconds from the time the accident happened. They did amazing work. And then the ambulance got here just minutes after that. So he was put on the ambulance and he was taken right over to Lifeflight. I don’t think the response could’ve been any more professional or quicker.”
Both the ambulance and Lifeflight are stationed at the airport.
The taxiway where the crash occurred was closed until about 10 p.m. Monday.
Chuck Covert, also an airport manager, said, “I think this is the first fatality at the airport that I’m aware of, and I hope we never have another one.
"We’ve had a few incidents where people have had accidents, but nothing like this, it’s a shame,” he said.
Anderson called the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA to report the accident. The NTSB investigates accidents of all kinds, and the FAA assists. The NTSB will write the report on the crash, Anderson said.
Covert said Sperling had “been a local pilot for a number of years, that was just his latest airplane venture.
“Interesting guy. It’s just very unfortunate because he just loved aviation.”
He remembered Sperling’s first aircraft was a “powerkite deal. It’s kind of a kite with an engine on it.”
He got his current aircraft a few years ago. FFA records show it was manufactured in 2014 and is classified as an experimental plane.
Covert added, “I remember I loaned him my flatbed trailer to go back to Nebraska to buy it because it wasn’t flyable when he got it.”
He “spent a year rebuilding it to get it to fly. He liked to work on stuff. We have a few kit planes at the airport and I always admire the people who take the time and dedication to do that.”
Covert said Sperling, who was married, had flown the plane “quite a bit.”
Anderson said Sperling “Had one just like it before this one, same model. And maybe another one. He’s flown for a long time.”
Covert said the NTSB and FAA will look at the aircraft and interview witnesses and try to determine the cause of the crash.
And just as with automobiles, if the NTSB starts to notice an issue that repeatedly happens with a type of aircraft, they’ll put out a “directive” on it, or a recall.
Anderson said he believes Lifeflight first started taking Sperling to Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, but diverted to Mid-Columbia Medical Center.
It could not be confirmed by press time Tuesday morning where Sperling was taken.
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