Sunday, October 16, 2016

Van's RV-4, N2626C, registered to the pilot: Fatal accident occurred October 16, 2016 in Oregonia, Washington Township, Warren County, Ohio

 Jesse Loy, 36 (pilot) and Eric Hackney, 43 (pilot-rated passenger)


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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cincinnati, Ohio
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Aviation Accident Final 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/N2626C 

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Location: Oregonia, OH
Accident Number: CEN17FA016
Date & Time: 10/16/2016, 1740 EDT
Registration: N2626C
Aircraft: MAKELA RV-4
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

Analysis

The private pilot and passenger in the experimental, amateur-built airplane were seen flying at low altitude by several witnesses in various locations before the accident. The witnesses reported the engine was operating before the airplane descended into trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane, wreckage path, and a nearby zipline revealed damage consistent with the outboard section of the right wing having contacted the 1/2-inch galvanized zipline cable. There were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane or engine.

The cable ran between wooden platforms on the east and west sides of a river about 170 ft above ground level. The location of the platforms in wooded areas and the fact that the cable was unmarked likely made the zipline difficult to see. Witness statements and the accident scenario indicate the pilot operated the airplane at extremely low altitudes throughout the flight.

Toxicological testing of the pilot was positive for ethanol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the primary psychoactive substance in marijuana). The blood level of ethanol was below the regulatory limit; however, pilots may be impaired below this threshold. The finding of THC indicated that the pilot had used marijuana sometime before the accident; however, since there is no accepted relationship between blood levels and degree of impairment, whether the impairing effects of THC contributed to the accident could not be determined. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's decision to fly at a low altitude, which resulted in the collision with a zipline.

Findings

Aircraft
Altitude - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Decision making/judgment - Pilot (Cause)
Illicit drug - Pilot
Alcohol - Pilot

Environmental issues
Wire - Awareness of condition (Cause)
Wire - Effect on operation (Cause)
Wire - Ability to respond/compensate (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Maneuvering-low-alt flying
Low altitude operation/event (Defining event)
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
Loss of control in flight

Uncontrolled descent

Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

On October 16, 2016, at 1740 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Makela RV-4, N2626C, collided with a zipline cable and terrain while maneuvering at low altitude in Oregonia, Ohio. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. The airplane was registered to the pilot and was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from a private airstrip in Wilmington, Ohio, about 1708.

Several witnesses in various locations reported seeing the airplane flying at low altitude before the accident. Witnesses near the accident site reported that the airplane was traveling south along the river. One witness estimated that the airplane was about 30 ft above the river, and another estimated that it was about 50 ft above the tree tops. Both witnesses reported the engine sounded "strong" and at "full power." One witness momentarily lost sight of the airplane; when it came back into view, the airplane descended into the trees.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 36, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/17/2013
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  750 hours (Total, all aircraft), 200 hours (Total, this make and model)

Pilot-Rated Passenger Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 43, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Rear
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/12/2016
Occupational Pilot:
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 09/29/2016
Flight Time: 

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land, which was issued on September 6, 2008. The pilot was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class airman medical certificate on July 17, 2013. At the time of his most recent medical application, the pilot reported that he had accumulated 300 total hours of flight experience, 46 hours of which were in the previous 6 months. On an application for aircraft insurance, dated September 15, 2014, the pilot reported having 750 total hours of flight time, of which 200 hours were in RV-4 aircraft. The pilot's logbook was not located by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) during the investigation of this accident.

The passenger held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land issued on September 29, 2016. He was issued a FAA third-class airman medical certificate on May 12, 2016. The passenger was seated in the rear seat of the airplane, which was not equipped with a control stick at the time of the accident. 



Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: MAKELA
Registration: N2626C
Model/Series: RV-4
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1989
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: 1775
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection:  Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: O-320
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 160 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held:  None

The RV-4, is a two-place, tandem-seat, low-wing airplane with conventional landing gear powered by a 160-horsepower Lycoming O-320 engine, serial number L-38136-27A. The airplane was issued an FAA Airworthiness Certificate on February 23, 1989. A review of FAA records revealed that the pilot purchased the airplane on June 17, 2009. The airplane maintenance records were not located by the NTSB during the investigation, and the airplane's maintenance history could not be determined. 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MGY, 957 ft msl
Observation Time: 1753 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 15 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 335°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 9500 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 14°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 7 knots, 220°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.99 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration:  No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Wilmington, OH (PVT)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Wilmington, OH (PVT)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1708 EDT
Type of Airspace:  Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:  39.398333, -84.102222 

The airplane came to rest in heavily wooded, sloping terrain about 120 ft west of the Little Miami River on property owned by YMCA Camp Kern. The terrain elevation at the accident site was 700 ft above mean sea level (msl). The terrain sloped from about 900 ft on both sides of the river to an elevation of about 650 ft msl at the river, which made a S-shape near the accident site.

The trees in the area were about 80 ft tall. Broken tree limbs were visible in several trees near the main wreckage. A path through the trees leading to the main wreckage indicated an approximate 170° direction of flight. All wreckage was in the general vicinity of the main wreckage with the exception of the right wingtip and a section of the right wing just inboard of the wingtip. The bottom surface of the right wingtip was located about 660 ft from the main wreckage just below a zipline cable. The top surface of the wingtip was located about 50 ft from the cable and the outboard piece of the right wing was located between the cable and main wreckage.

Examination of the recovered airframe and engine was conducted on October 17, 2016, in a hangar at the Warren County Airport, Lebanon, Ohio. The examination was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, with the assistance of a representative of the engine manufacturer. The outboard 3 ft of the right wing, including the wingtip, was separated into several pieces. The leading-edge bottom portion of the wingtip was not located. The front side of the right wing forward spar contained impact marks consistent with a braided cable strike near the area where the structure had separated. The outboard section of the right wing just inboard of the wingtip, which was found between the zipline and the main wreckage, contained an impact area that was crushed outboard and rearward. This section contained an impact fold that was about 1/2-inch in diameter. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. A detailed summary of the examination is included in the public docket associated with the investigation. 

Medical And Pathological Information

Autopsies of the pilot and passenger were performed at the Montgomery County Coroner's Office, Dayton, Ohio, on October 17, 2016. The pilot and passenger's deaths were attributed to multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the accident.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA Bioaeronautical Research Sciences Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for the pilot was negative for carbon monoxide and cyanide. The testing identified ethanol at 0.059 gm% in urine, 0.037 gm% in muscle, 0.036 gm% in brain, and 0.033 gm% in blood (unknown source). In addition, 10.1 ng/ml of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the primary psychoactive substance in marijuana) and 13.1 ng/ml of 11-carboxytetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) was identified in blood. THC- COOH was also identified in urine.

Ethanol is the intoxicant commonly found in beer, wine, and liquor. It acts as a central nervous system depressant. The effects of ethanol on aviators are generally well understood; it significantly impairs pilots' performance, even at very low levels. Title 14 CFR section 91.17 (a) prohibits any person from acting or attempting to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while having 0.040 gm/dl or more ethanol in the blood. Because ingested alcohol is distributed throughout the body, levels from different post mortem tissues are usually similar. Ethanol may also be produced in body tissues by microbial activity after death.

Marijuana is a psychoactive drug with therapeutic levels as low as 0.001 ug/ml. According to NHTSA's Drugs and Human Performance Fact Sheets, "It is difficult to establish a relationship between a person's THC blood or plasma concentration and performance impairing effects. Concentrations of parent drug and metabolite are very dependent on pattern of use as well as dose. THC concentrations typically peak during the act of smoking, while peak 11-OH THC concentrations occur approximately 9-23 minutes after the start of smoking. Concentrations of both analytes decline rapidly and are often < 0.005 ug/mL at 3 hours." A detailed report of the toxicological results is included in the public docket associated with the investigation.

Toxicological tests performed on the pilot-rated passenger were also positive for ethanol and THC.

Additional Information

YMCA Camp Kern operates 12 zip lines, 2 of which (designated River 1 and River 2) cross the Little Miami River. The unmarked zip cables are ½-inch rope core galvanized cable.

An inspection of the cables was conducted following the accident. The River 1 cable was 1,370 ft long and had a 3.5° slope. The cable ran from a wooden sending platform on the west side of the river to a wooden receiving platform on the east side. Both platforms were located in heavily wooded areas. Two sections of the cable were identified as having been damaged during the accident impact sequence. The first section was located about 486 ft from the sending platform. This damaged section of cable was about 12-18 inches long and contained areas where the cable strands were flattened. The cable was embedded with foreign material and displayed red and green paint transfer. The second section of cable, about 85 ft from the sending tower, contained embedded wood fiber. Tree branches located about 25 ft from this section of cable were broken. The height of the cable at the impact point was about 170 ft above ground level.

Title 14 CFR Part 91.119(c) states, in part, that except for takeoff and landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:

(a) Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.

(b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open-air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.

(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

Title 14 CFR Part 91.13 states, in part,

(a) Aircraft operations for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.

NTSB Identification: CEN17FA016
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 16, 2016 in Oregonia, OH
Aircraft: MAKELA URHO J RV 4, registration: N2626C
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 October 16, 2016, at 1740 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built experimental Makela Urho J RV-4, N2626C, collided with an aerial cable and the terrain in Oregonia, Ohio. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were both fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post-impact fire. The aircraft was registered to the pilot and was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from a private airstrip in Wilmington, Ohio, about 1708.

Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying at low altitudes at different locations prior to the accident. Three witnesses near the accident site reported seeing the airplane flying low just prior to the accident. One witness estimated the airplane was at an altitude of about 30 feet above the river and the other estimated about 50 feet above the tree tops. Both of these witnesses reported the engine sounded "strong" and at "full power." One of the witnesses momentarily lost sight of the airplane and when it came back into view, it descended into the trees.


 Jesse Loy, 36 (pilot) and Eric Hackney, 43 (pilot-rated passenger)


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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cincinnati, Ohio
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania 

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/N2626C 

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Location: Oregonia, OH
Accident Number: CEN17FA016
Date & Time: 10/16/2016, 1740 EDT
Registration: N2626C
Aircraft: MAKELA RV-4
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On October 16, 2016, at 1740 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Makela RV-4, N2626C, collided with a zipline cable and terrain while maneuvering at low altitude in Oregonia, Ohio. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. The airplane was registered to the pilot and was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which originated from a private airstrip in Wilmington, Ohio, about 1708.

Several witnesses in various locations reported seeing the airplane flying at low altitude before the accident. Witnesses near the accident site reported that the airplane was traveling south along the river. One witness estimated that the airplane was about 30 ft above the river, and another estimated that it was about 50 ft above the tree tops. Both witnesses reported the engine sounded "strong" and at "full power." One witness momentarily lost sight of the airplane; when it came back into view, the airplane descended into the trees.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 36, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/17/2013
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  750 hours (Total, all aircraft), 200 hours (Total, this make and model)

Pilot-Rated Passenger Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 43, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Rear
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/12/2016
Occupational Pilot:
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 09/29/2016
Flight Time: 

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land, which was issued on September 6, 2008. The pilot was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class airman medical certificate on July 17, 2013. At the time of his most recent medical application, the pilot reported that he had accumulated 300 total hours of flight experience, 46 hours of which were in the previous 6 months. On an application for aircraft insurance, dated September 15, 2014, the pilot reported having 750 total hours of flight time, of which 200 hours were in RV-4 aircraft. The pilot's logbook was not located by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) during the investigation of this accident.

The passenger held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land issued on September 29, 2016. He was issued a FAA third-class airman medical certificate on May 12, 2016. The passenger was seated in the rear seat of the airplane, which was not equipped with a control stick at the time of the accident. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: MAKELA
Registration: N2626C
Model/Series: RV-4
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1989
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: 1775
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection:  Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: O-320
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 160 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held:  None

The RV-4, is a two-place, tandem-seat, low-wing airplane with conventional landing gear powered by a 160-horsepower Lycoming O-320 engine, serial number L-38136-27A. The airplane was issued an FAA Airworthiness Certificate on February 23, 1989. A review of FAA records revealed that the pilot purchased the airplane on June 17, 2009. The airplane maintenance records were not located by the NTSB during the investigation, and the airplane's maintenance history could not be determined. 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MGY, 957 ft msl
Observation Time: 1753 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 15 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 335°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 9500 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 14°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 7 knots, 220°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 29.99 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration:  No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Wilmington, OH (PVT)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Wilmington, OH (PVT)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1708 EDT
Type of Airspace:  Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:  39.398333, -84.102222 

The airplane came to rest in heavily wooded, sloping terrain about 120 ft west of the Little Miami River on property owned by YMCA Camp Kern. The terrain elevation at the accident site was 700 ft above mean sea level (msl). The terrain sloped from about 900 ft on both sides of the river to an elevation of about 650 ft msl at the river, which made a S-shape near the accident site.

The trees in the area were about 80 ft tall. Broken tree limbs were visible in several trees near the main wreckage. A path through the trees leading to the main wreckage indicated an approximate 170° direction of flight. All wreckage was in the general vicinity of the main wreckage with the exception of the right wingtip and a section of the right wing just inboard of the wingtip. The bottom surface of the right wingtip was located about 660 ft from the main wreckage just below a zipline cable. The top surface of the wingtip was located about 50 ft from the cable and the outboard piece of the right wing was located between the cable and main wreckage.

Examination of the recovered airframe and engine was conducted on October 17, 2016, in a hangar at the Warren County Airport, Lebanon, Ohio. The examination was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, with the assistance of a representative of the engine manufacturer. The outboard 3 ft of the right wing, including the wingtip, was separated into several pieces. The leading-edge bottom portion of the wingtip was not located. The front side of the right wing forward spar contained impact marks consistent with a braided cable strike near the area where the structure had separated. The outboard section of the right wing just inboard of the wingtip, which was found between the zipline and the main wreckage, contained an impact area that was crushed outboard and rearward. This section contained an impact fold that was about 1/2-inch in diameter. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. A detailed summary of the examination is included in the public docket associated with the investigation. 

Medical And Pathological Information

Autopsies of the pilot and passenger were performed at the Montgomery County Coroner's Office, Dayton, Ohio, on October 17, 2016. The pilot and passenger's deaths were attributed to multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the accident.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA Bioaeronautical Research Sciences Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for the pilot was negative for carbon monoxide and cyanide. The testing identified ethanol at 0.059 gm% in urine, 0.037 gm% in muscle, 0.036 gm% in brain, and 0.033 gm% in blood (unknown source). In addition, 10.1 ng/ml of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the primary psychoactive substance in marijuana) and 13.1 ng/ml of 11-carboxytetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) was identified in blood. THC- COOH was also identified in urine.

Ethanol is the intoxicant commonly found in beer, wine, and liquor. It acts as a central nervous system depressant. The effects of ethanol on aviators are generally well understood; it significantly impairs pilots' performance, even at very low levels. Title 14 CFR section 91.17 (a) prohibits any person from acting or attempting to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while having 0.040 gm/dl or more ethanol in the blood. Because ingested alcohol is distributed throughout the body, levels from different post mortem tissues are usually similar. Ethanol may also be produced in body tissues by microbial activity after death.

Marijuana is a psychoactive drug with therapeutic levels as low as 0.001 ug/ml. According to NHTSA's Drugs and Human Performance Fact Sheets, "It is difficult to establish a relationship between a person's THC blood or plasma concentration and performance impairing effects. Concentrations of parent drug and metabolite are very dependent on pattern of use as well as dose. THC concentrations typically peak during the act of smoking, while peak 11-OH THC concentrations occur approximately 9-23 minutes after the start of smoking. Concentrations of both analytes decline rapidly and are often < 0.005 ug/mL at 3 hours." A detailed report of the toxicological results is included in the public docket associated with the investigation.

Toxicological tests performed on the pilot-rated passenger were also positive for ethanol and THC.

Additional Information

YMCA Camp Kern operates 12 zip lines, 2 of which (designated River 1 and River 2) cross the Little Miami River. The unmarked zip cables are ½-inch rope core galvanized cable.

An inspection of the cables was conducted following the accident. The River 1 cable was 1,370 ft long and had a 3.5° slope. The cable ran from a wooden sending platform on the west side of the river to a wooden receiving platform on the east side. Both platforms were located in heavily wooded areas. Two sections of the cable were identified as having been damaged during the accident impact sequence. The first section was located about 486 ft from the sending platform. This damaged section of cable was about 12-18 inches long and contained areas where the cable strands were flattened. The cable was embedded with foreign material and displayed red and green paint transfer. The second section of cable, about 85 ft from the sending tower, contained embedded wood fiber. Tree branches located about 25 ft from this section of cable were broken. The height of the cable at the impact point was about 170 ft above ground level.

Title 14 CFR Part 91.119(c) states, in part, that except for takeoff and landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:

(a) Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.

(b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open-air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.

(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

Title 14 CFR Part 91.13 states, in part,


(a) Aircraft operations for the purpose of air navigation. No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another.

NTSB Identification: CEN17FA016
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 16, 2016 in Oregonia, OH
Aircraft: MAKELA URHO J RV 4, registration: N2626C
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 October 16, 2016, at 1740 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built experimental Makela Urho J RV-4, N2626C, collided with an aerial cable and the terrain in Oregonia, Ohio. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were both fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post-impact fire. The aircraft was registered to the pilot and was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from a private airstrip in Wilmington, Ohio, about 1708.

Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying at low altitudes at different locations prior to the accident. Three witnesses near the accident site reported seeing the airplane flying low just prior to the accident. One witness estimated the airplane was at an altitude of about 30 feet above the river and the other estimated about 50 feet above the tree tops. Both of these witnesses reported the engine sounded "strong" and at "full power." One of the witnesses momentarily lost sight of the airplane and when it came back into view, it descended into the trees.


Eric Hackney


TURTLECREEK TOWNSHIP —

The Warren County coroner has identified two people killed in a Sunday evening plane crash.

Eric Hackney, 43, and Jesse Loy, 36, both of Punta Gorda, Florida, died of blunt force trauma as a result of the Sunday crash, coroner Doyle Burke said.

Scorched debris from the a single-engine plane crash remains on the side of a remote Turtle Creek Township hillside as investigators try to determine what went wrong.

The plane went down about a half-mile from Morgan’s Riverside Campground in a wooded area just off the bike path near Fort Ancient.

In the moments after the crash, people on the bike trail began to call 911.

“I think it obviously exploded when it crashed,” one caller said.

“God and them two are the only ones who know what happened for sure, but we can only think they had some sort of a malfunction,” said Clint Hackney, Eric Hackney’s brother. “The plane belonged to the pilot, the guy that was flying it. They left our personal runway and flew over to the Waynesville airport to get fuel, they got a full load of fuel and were doing some sightseeing.”

Witness Dirk Morgan said he saw a single-engine plane flying low, which was unusual. Moments later, he started hearing from friends nearby about a plane crash.

The plane went down in an area so remote, firefighters had to hand-carry gear to put the flames out. Morgan helped crews get through the thick underbrush.

“In many cases, we’re going through the underbrush and you could only see 10 feet in front of you.” Morgan said.

Even more challenging was the steep terrain, Morgan said.

“Incredibly steep. We were literally crawling on our hands and knees in some cases,” Morgan said. “I could grab a tree and grab a firefighter’s hand and help pull them up to the next level.”

Investigators with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board remained on the scene into Monday afternoon. The cause of the crash has not been determined.


Story and video:   http://www.wlwt.com



TURTLECREEK TOWNSHIP —   Scorched debris from a single-engine plane crash remains on the side of a remote Turtle Creek Township hillside as investigators try to determine what went wrong. 

The plane went down about a half mile from Morgan’s Riverside Campground in a wooded area just off the bike path near Fort Ancient.

In the moments after the crash, people on the bike trail began to call 911.

“I think it obviously exploded when it crashed,” one caller said.

“God and them two are the only ones who know what happened for sure, but we can only think they had some sort of a malfunction,” said a man who claims his brother was one of the victims in the plane.

WLWT is only identifying the man as “Clint” until a positive identification has been made on the two victims.

“The plane belonged to the pilot, the guy that was flying it. They left our personal runway and flew over to the Waynesville airport to get fuel, they got a full load of fuel and were doing some sightseeing,” Clint said.

Dirk Morgan said he saw a single-engine plane flying low, which was unusual.

Moments later, he started hearing from friends nearby about a plane crash.

The plane went down in an area so remote, firefighters had to hand-carry gear to put the flames out.

Morgan helped crews get through the thick underbrush.

“In many cases we’re going through the underbrush and you could only see 10 feet in front of you.” Morgan said.

Even more challenging was the steep terrain, according to Morgan.

“Incredibly steep. We were literally crawling on our hands and knees in some cases,” Morgan said. “I could grab a tree and grab a firefighter’s hand and help pull them up to the next level.”

Investigators with the FAA and the NTSB remained on the scene into Monday afternoon. No cause has been determined.


A forensic dental team is working to make a positive identification on the victims.

UPDATE@4:10 p.m.

Alan Wolfson, manager of the Warren County Airport outside Lebanon, said the crash did not involve a plane based there. Likewise, staff at the Red Stewart Airfield outside Waynesville said the plane was not based there.

The Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport north of Springboro has been closed for construction since Friday.

UPDATE @ 10:42 a.m.

Investigators suspect the victims of yesterday’s fatal plane crash in Warren County have local ties to the area.

But results of autopsies under way at the Miami Valley Crime Lab will also be used in determining the identities of the victims of the third fatal plane crash in the area in less than three months.

“If it’s who we think it is, they have local ties,” Doyle Burke, chief investigator for the Warren County Coroner’s Office, said Monday morning.

However Burke said the apparent victims did not live in the area.

Burke declined to identify the apparent victims, pending confirmation through dental records and notification of next of kin.

Today investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were expected to arrive at the crash site, on state land near Camp Kern and the Little Miami River.

Emergency crews were first dispatched around 5:45 p.m. Sunday after callers reported smoke and flames coming from a low-flying plane.

The crash scene is in a remote, wooded area, east of Lebanon in Turtlecreek Twp., on property near a Church of God camp between the YMCA camp and Moore-Saur Road.

ATVs and boats were used to get to the site and a fire was put out without it spreading beyond the crash area.

The two-seat prop plane was heavily damaged and authorities were still working on Monday to identify its tail number.

It was not known where the plane was headed, nor from where it came.

Dirk Morgan said he looked up to see the smoking plane fall out of the sky Sunday.

“It came right through the treetops and then crashed to the floor,” said Morgan, owner of Morgan Riverside Camps on the Little Miami River.

Morgan used his knowledge of the rough terrain to help firefighters and first responders reach the crash site – roughly at the bottom of a cliff near the river.

“It’s an extremely steep hill, probably 300 vertical feet just to get down to the river valley - no roads, no trails,” said Morgan, a member of the family also operating a canoe rental business on the river.

“I went up to Moore-Saur Road to my neighbors’ property — the Church of God camp. First responders were there, and I helped them go over the hill and carry equipment down the hill,” Morgan said.

“I had to make two trips down to try to help them bring fire extinguishers and pick axes. … It was so steep you had to hold onto small saplings to keep from sliding 50 feet down the hill. So coming back up it was almost all fours, and I felt bad for the firefighters because they were in full turnout gear.”

Morgan said firefighters had to stop three times before reaching the spot.

Other firefighters arriving later took boats on the river or ATVs guided by GPS to get there.

“It’s along the Little Miami River between Strout Road and Fort Ancient SR 350. Those are the two bridges that it’s between,” Morgan said.

Morgan, one of the first at the scene, said he cringed at what he saw. The plane had sawed off trees as it fell.

“There were pieces of trees and then I kind of looked up. There was an opening in the big Sycamore trees that were down there and there were parts of the plane hanging from the tree limbs,” Morgan said.

“I just know I saw the smoking remains of what appeared to be a plane and parts, and I prayed for the families who lost their loved ones.

“I don’t think anyone survived,” he said before officials confirmed the worst. “I don’t know how they could.”

Burke and Sgt. Robert Burd of the Ohio State Highway Patrol briefed reporters at the staging area near Camp Kern.

“The plane’s burnt. It is a complete loss,” said Burd, assistant commander of the Lebanon Post.

Burke said it was impossible to tell even the sex or ages of the victims at the crash site.

He said the victims can be identified through missing persons reports, dental records or DNA.

At the time of the crash, winds of 8 mph were reported at the nearest reporting station, the Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport north of Springboro. There was possibly some light rain, but no reports of severe weather, according to WHIO TV Meteorologist Brett Collar.

Rain and thunderstorms are believed to have contributed to the crash that killed a Michigan man and his wife in Clark County on July 22, according to the NTSB.

Levon King, 81, and his wife, Gloria King, 85, died when their experimental aircraft crashed in a cornfield in Harmony Twp. The plane crashed seven miles east of Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport.

The couple were flying home to Michigan from Georgia, relatives said, when the RV-9A plane that Levon King built himself went down.

The NTSB continues to investigate the fatal crash involving Clayton Heins, 20, a student pilot from Arcanum, and his friend, Jacob Turner, 19, of Greenville, on Sept. 14, in Darke County. The plane was reportedly headed for the Moraine Air Park when it crashed in a cornfield.

Heins was flying a single-engine Piper PA-11 aircraft, owned by his father, when it crashed off Dull Road near Arcanum, according to reports.

On Sunday, investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the fatal crash scene in Warren County. The NTSB joined the investigation Monday.

INITIAL REPORT

Emergency crews were first dispatched around 5:45 p.m. Sunday after callers reported smoke and flames coming from a low-flying plane. The crash scene was located in a remote, wooded area near the Little Miami River, on property between Camp Kern and Moore-Saur Road, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office said.

Investigators said they had to use ATVs and boats to access the wreck. The plane was heavily burned and authorities were still working to identify its tail number.

It was not known where the plane was headed, nor from where it came.

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the scene Sunday night, and members from the National Transportation Safety Board are expected to arrive Monday.

Doyle Burke, chief investigator with the Warren County Coroner’s Office, said they took two unidentified bodies to the Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab. The victims are expected to be identified through missing persons reports, dental records or DNA.


Story and video:  http://www.whio.com





TURTLECREEK TWP.

UPDATE @ 10:20 p.m.

A two-seater prop plane was still burning when crews arrived this evening.

The plane crashed in a heavily wooded inaccessible area on state property near Camp Kern. Crews had to use ATVs and boats to access the wreck. The plane is heavily burned and authorities are still working to get its tail number. It’s undetermined where the plane was headed, nor from where it came. the FAA was on scene tonight, and the NTSB is expected on Monday.

A 911 caller reported hearing some noises and noticed a low-flying plane before the crash.

Late tonight, Doyle Burke, chief investigator with the Warren County Coroner’s Office, was taking two unidentified bodies to the Miami Valley Regional Crime Lab. The victims are expected to be identified through missing persons reports, dental records or DNA.

UPDATE @ 9:30 p.m.

Officials from the FAA and NTSB were expected to arrive this evening to inspect the wreckage of a small plane crash near Camp Kern.

The crash site is in a heavily wooded area that is difficult to access. An Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter, based in Columbus, was flying above, shining its light over the area.

UPDATE @ 7:55 p.m.

A Warren County Coroner’s investigator confirmed tonight that two people died in the crash of a small aircraft near Camp Kern.

Investigators at the scene were awaiting the arrival of members of the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The plane’s tail number could not be seen because it was facing the ground. The mangled plane crashed in a heavily wooded area, investigators said.

The identities and genders of the crash victims are unknown.

UPDATE @ 6:50 p.m.

The Warren County Coroner’s Office confirms it was called tonight to the scene of the plane crash, which possibly involves multiple fatalities.

UPDATE @ 6:40 p.m.

The plane crash is under investigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

An updated location of the crash is on property off Gilmour Road, still near Camp Kern. No further information was available about how many people were aboard, the type of aircraft or whether there were any survivors.

FIRST REPORT

Emergency crews found the wreckage of a small plane that crashed in Turtlecreek Twp. this evening near Camp Kern.

The first calls came in around 5:45 p.m. to Warren County dispatch that a plane was flying low and that smoke and flames could be seen.

The crash was found near the Little Miami River on property between Camp Kern, 5291 Ohio 350, and Moore-Saur Road, according to the sheriff’s office.

Story and video:   http://www.journal-news.com

UPDATE:

The highway patrol says a 911 call came in about a low flying plane near the waterfront in Warren County.

The two seater prop plane went down somewhere around 6 oclock this evening, October 17, 2016 on the border of Turtlecreek Township and Salem Township.

Firefighters and other first responders hurried to the scene.

They had boats, ATVs and portable fire extinguishers.

First responders had to go about 3/4 of a mile to get to the plane which caught on fire once it crashed

"When I arrived on scene the plane was still on fire. Most if the fuel had already burned out of it, mostly a rubber fire. And we were able to put that out bit it was contained. We didn't have any fire brush or anything else catch fire, so pretty we'll contained," said Sargeant Robert Burd with the Highway Patrol Lebanon Post.

"Every incident is different. It' just a matter for the family's sake we need to make sure we get the victims positively identified and find out what happened," said Warren County Coroner.Doyle Burke.

The coroner said dental records will probably have to be used to help identify the victims.

It's not known if they were males or females.

The bodies were taken to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be coming to the crash site Monday to start it's investigation

UPDATE: Investigators confirm two people are dead after a small plane crash near Camp Kern.

They tell us the bodies will be taken to Dayton for identification.

Investigators say it was a fiery crash.

"When I arrived on scene the plane was still on fire. Most if the fuel had already burned out of it, mostly a rubber fire. And we were able to put that out bit it

was contained. We didn't have any fire brush or anything else catch fire, so pretty we'll contained," said Sgt. Robert Burd, Ohio Highway Patrol.

The bodies are burned beyond recognition, and the coroner will have to use dental records to ID the bodies.

UPDATE: Warren County Sheriff's Dispatch confirmed a small airplane has crashed in the southern part of the county.

The plane went down in Turtlecreek Township near Camp Kern and the Little Miami River.

The wreckage was reportedly found on a steep hill facing the river off of Route 350.

Dispatch also confirmed that the coroner has been called to the scene. It is unclear at this time how many were onboard the aircraft.

Ohio State Patrol is now investigating the accident.

UPDATE: Warren County Dispatch has confirmed the coroner has been called to the scene of the crash.

TURTLECREEK TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WKRC) - Warren County Sheriff's Dispatch confirmed a small airplane has crashed in southern Warren County.

Details are scarce at this point, but they did say the plane went down in Turtlecreek Township near Camp Kern and the Little Miami River.