Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Pittsburgh, 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/N3449
Location: Linesville, PA
Accident Number: ERA17FA223
Date & Time: 07/02/2017, 1923 EDT
Registration: N3449
Aircraft: SLIPSTREAM Genesis
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On July 2, 2017, at 1923 eastern daylight time, an experimental light sport SlipStream Genesis, N3449, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain shortly after takeoff from Merrys Pymatuning Airport (PA01), Linesville, Pennsylvania. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was owned by the pilot who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which was originating at the time of the accident.
Witnesses at or near PA01 reported that the airplane took off from runway 4, after which it climbed on runway heading to about 500 ft above ground level (agl). It then turned to the right, the right wing dropped, and the airplane descended to ground contact. One witness reported that the airplane appeared to make one complete revolution as it spiraled down before impacting a field.
One of the witnesses thought that it was "strange" that the pilot was taking off with a tailwind on runway 4. He watched the flight from takeoff until impact, noting that the wind was about 5 knots. He stated that the airplane took a bit longer to get airborne, consistent with a downwind takeoff, but that the pilot was eventually able to gain enough altitude to clear the power lines and climb out to 400 to 500 feet agl before initiating a left turn; the airplane seemed to slow down in the turn before it turned right and descended. The pilot regularly discussed his discomfort flying the airplane. During a previous flight, the pilot landed long before overrunning the end of the runway into the weeds.
An additional witness stated that, before the accident flight, he overheard the pilot state that he "didn't trust his aircraft" and that the airplane had an inoperative airspeed indicator. The witness offered the pilot use of a temporary airspeed indicator, but he turned down the offer and proceeded to fly.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 70, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land and additional certificates for repairman-experimental and repairman-light sport. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on February 14, 2006, with a limitation for having available glasses for near vision. His medical was expired and not required to operate the airplane. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed 424.5 total hours of flight experience. The pilot's logbook reflected only one entry in the accident airplane, for 5.0 hours, dated September 16, 2016.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
According to FAA records, the pilot purchased the airplane on November 15, 2014. The airplane was a two-seat, strut-braced, high-wing airplane powered by a two-cylinder Rotax 582, 65-horsepower engine driving a three-blade, carbon fiber propeller in a pusher configuration. It held 14.5 gallons of usable fuel in wing-mounted tanks. The airplane was issued an FAA experimental light-sport aircraft special airworthiness certificate on July 4, 2007. According to maintenance records, the tachometer indicated 127.0 hours as of a condition inspection dated October 21, 2015. Additional records were missing or incomplete. The total airframe and engine time at the time of the accident could not be determined.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The 1953 weather observation at Port Meadville Airport (GKJ), Meadville, Pennsylvania, 10 miles east of the accident site, included wind from 270° at 4 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear sky, temperature 24°C, dew point 16°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.05 inches of mercury.
AIRPORT INFORMATION
The field elevation at PA01 was 1,203 ft mean sea level. The single turf runway, oriented 04/22, was 1,815 ft long by 150 ft wide with 85-ft-tall trees 450 ft from the departure end of the runway.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The airplane impacted the ground in a right-wing-low, steep nose-down attitude about 1,800 ft from the departure end of runway 4. The fuselage, cockpit, and instrumentation were consumed by a postimpact fire. The accident site was compact and localized, and all major components were accounted for at the scene.
Three-quarters of the outboard portion of the left and right wings remained intact and were still attached to their respective struts. The empennage was damaged by fire but remained attached to the frame. All control surfaces remained attached to their respective hinge mounts. Continuity was established between all flight control surfaces and the cockpit controls.
Two of the propeller blades were splintered and remained partially attached to the propeller hub; they exhibited significant thermal and impact damage. One 3-ft section of a propeller blade was broken off at the hub and was discovered 30 ft from the wreckage.
The 2-cylinder, 2-stroke, liquid-cooled engine exhibited significant thermal and impact damage. Thermal damage to the engine prevented engine rotation to establish continuity. Crankshaft and rotary valve continuity were confirmed through disassembly and examination. The crankshaft, valves, and bearings appeared to be well lubricated and exhibited no anomalies. The piston assembly, cylinders and sleeve exhibited signs of thermal damage through discoloration, but appeared relatively intact and freely moved once the case was opened.
The carburetors and all internal components were damaged by impact and heat; functionality could not be determined. The engine was equipped with dual ignition; there were two spark plugs per cylinder and all four spark plug electrodes appeared normal.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
No autopsy was performed due to the condition of the pilot.
The FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot; results were negative for tested-for drugs and ethanol.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
According to the Airplane Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-3B, Chapter 4, Maintaining Aircraft Control:
A stall is an aerodynamic condition which occurs when smooth airflow over the airplane's wings is disrupted, resulting in loss of lift. Specifically, a stall occurs when the AOA—the angle between the chord line of the wing and the relative wind—exceeds the wing's critical AOA. It is possible to exceed the critical AOA at any airspeed, at any attitude, and at any power setting.
A pilot must recognize the flight conditions that are conducive to stalls and know how to apply the necessary corrective action. This level of proficiency requires learning to recognize an impending stall by sight, sound, and feel. Stalls are usually accompanied by a continuous stall warning for airplanes equipped with stall warning devices. These devices may include an aural alert, lights, or a stick shaker all which alert the pilot when approaching the critical AOA.
Certification standards permit manufacturers to provide the required stall warning either through the inherent aerodynamic qualities of the airplane or through a stall warning device that gives a clear indication of the impending stall. However, most vintage airplanes, and many types of light sport and experimental airplanes, do not have stall warning devices installed.
Even so, the pilot should remember the most important action to an impending stall or a full stall is to reduce the AOA. …Pitch nose-down control. Reducing the AOA is crucial for all stall recoveries. Push forward on the flight controls to reduce the AOA below the critical AOA until the impending stall indications are eliminated.
Roll wings level. This orients the lift vector properly for an effective recovery. It is important not to be tempted to control the bank angle prior to reducing AOA.
Both roll stability and roll control will improve considerably after getting the wings flying again. It is also imperative for the pilot to proactively cancel yaw with proper use of the rudder to prevent a stall from progressing into a spin.
Add thrust/power. Power should be added as needed, as stalls can occur at high power or low power settings, or at high airspeeds or low airspeeds.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 70, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied:Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s):None
Restraint Used:
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: 02/14/2006
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:05/28/2006
Flight Time: (Estimated) 424.5 hours (Total, all aircraft), 5 hours (Total, this make and model), 0 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 0 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: SLIPSTREAM
Registration: N3449
Model/Series: Genesis
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1996
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental Light Sport
Serial Number: 17
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 10/21/2015, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1400 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: ROTAX
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: 582
Registered Owner:On file
Rated Power: 65 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KGKJ, 1399 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1953 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 90°
Lowest Cloud Condition:Clear
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction:270°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.05 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 16°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: LINESVILLE, PA (PA01)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: LINESVILLE, PA (PA01)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1920 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G
Airport Information
Airport: MERRYS PYMATUNING (PA01)
Runway Surface Type: N/A
Airport Elevation: 1203 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 04
IFR Approach:None
Runway Length/Width: 1815 ft / 120 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 41.683056, -80.433056
NTSB Identification: ERA17FA223
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, July 02, 2017 in Linesville, PA
Aircraft: SLIP STREAM GENNIS, registration: N3449
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 July 2, 2017, at 1923 eastern daylight time, a Slip Stream Gennis, N3449, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain shortly after takeoff from Merrys Pymatuning Airport (PA01), Linesville, Pennsylvania. The private pilot, who was also the owner of the airplane was fatally injured. The airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.
Several witnesses at PA01 reported that the airplane took off from runway 4 with a 5-knot tailwind. The airplane climbed on runway heading to about 500 ft, then started a shallow left turn to the north. It then turned to the right, the right wing "dipped" quickly, and the airplane spun towards the ground. The airplane appeared to make one complete revolution as it spiraled down before striking a soybean field and bursting into flames. Several of the witnesses stated that the engine sounded strong throughout the entire flight until impact with the field.
One witness stated that prior to the flight he overheard the pilot state that he "didn't trust his aircraft" and that the airplane had an inoperable airspeed indicator.
The airplane was a two-seat side by side, strut-braced, high wing, pusher configuration with a Rotax 582, 65 horsepower engine and a three blade carbon fiber propeller. It was issued a Federal Aviation Administration experimental light-sport aircraft special airworthiness certificate on July 4, 2007. According to maintenance records, as of a condition engine inspection dated October 21, 2015, the tachometer showed 127.0 hours. The total airframe and engine time at the time of the accident could not be determined.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. The last entry in the pilot's logbook showed that he had 424.5 total hours of flight experience as of September 16, 2016. In addition, the pilot held a repairman certificate with a light-sport aircraft rating.
Initial examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane struck the ground in a right wing low, steep nose down attitude, about 2,000 ft from the departure end of runway 04. The fuselage, cockpit and instrumentation were consumed by a postimpact fire. Three-quarters of the outboard portion of the left and right wings remained intact and the tail, although damaged by fire, remained attached to the frame. Flight control continuity was established between all control surfaces. The engine exhibited fire and impact damage, but exhibited no mechanical anomalies during a teardown examination. Two of the propeller blades were splintered and remained partially attached to the propeller hub; they exhibited significant heat damage. One of the propeller blades was found 30 ft from the wreckage.
The airplane was recovered to a secured facility and retained for further examination.
Harry A. Ross
January 18, 1947 ~ July 2, 2017 (age 70)
Harry A. Ross,70, of Edinboro, died Sunday, July 2, 2017. He was born on January, 18, 1947 in DuBois, PA, the son of the late Harry and Virginia Ross.
He retired from Lord Corporation after 34 years of service. He worked in the tool room and was the past President of Local 1968 IAM&AW. After retirement, he worked part time doing maintenance at The Kahkwa Club and Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Edinboro. He had a passion for flying and was President of the Local Chapter 160 of the EAA. He kept honey bees and enjoyed sharing the honey with family and friends. Harry also enjoyed doing home improvement projects and feeding the wildlife at his home near Edinboro Lake. He never missed a Saturday morning breakfast with Randy, Bill and Scott. He and his wife loved to cheer on the Pirates and Steelers together. He especially enjoyed his family gatherings.
Harry is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Irene, and one brother, Gary (Shelly) Ross of DuBois. He is also survived by a son, Michael (Amy) Ross and step-children, Tamra (Steve) Thorr; Robert (Chris) Danielson; Deborah (Michael) Larsen; Sandy (Paul) Marcy; Randy (Lori) Danielson; Theresa (Michael) Napier and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Tammy Ross.
Friends may call at the Glunt Funeral Home And Crematory, Inc. Edinboro, 210 Erie St., Edinboro, on Thursday, July 6, 2017, from 2-4 and 7-9 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday at 10 am at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, 128 Sunset Dr., Edinboro, PA with Fr. Daniel Hoffman officiating.
Burial will be in Edinboro Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or the EAA Young Eagles Program via “Harry Ross Fund”, c/o Erie Bank, 2615 Asbury Road, Erie PA 16505.
CONNEAUT TOWNSHIP — Chuck Heilmann used very few words to describe Sunday night's fatal single-engine plane crash near Linesville that took the life of Harry A. Ross.
"Tragic, just tragic," Heilmann said Monday at Merry-Pymatuning Airport where Heilmann is one of the owners. Heilmann said Ross, 70, of 5321 Lakeview Drive, Edinboro, was a tenant at the airport, a grass strip airport with two large hangars located in Conneaut Township.
"He was here all day working on his plane," Heilmann said soberly of Ross. "It was a beautiful evening to fly and he took off."
Ross left from Merry-Pymatuning Airport alone in the aircraft when it went down just after 7:30 p.m., Scott Schell, county coroner, said Monday. According to witnesses, the plane hit nose first into a soybean field off Airport Road in Conneaut Township and burst into flames, Schell said.
“Witnesses said the plane banked to the left, spiraled down and went into the ground,” Schell told the Tribune.
Schell ruled Ross’ death accidental due to multiple blunt force trauma and burns. Ross was wearing a seat belt and a helmet, Schell said. No autopsy is scheduled, but toxicology testing will be done, Schell said.
Toxicology testing is the sampling of tissue, blood and other body fluids to identify potential toxins in the body, including prescription medication and other drugs and substances.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board arrived at the crash scene Monday morning to start an investigation into the cause. A final report on the fatal accident may take up to a year to complete.
Carol Bailey, who lives along Airport Road with her husband, Don, across from the crash site, said she heard the crash from inside her home.
"I had just finished (writing checks for the couple's) bills and we heard it fly overhead," she said. "Then we heard a big boom. Don raised the blinds in the living room to look outside, and I went outside. Then we both saw smoke and flame in the field."
Heilmann said he saw the plane take off just fine, but trouble happened after it banked to the left, then began to spiral downward before it crashed into the ground.
"It looked like a stall, spin and crash," Heilmann said. "He may have been too slow in the turn."
In airplane terminology, a stall isn't necessarily an engine stall but a loss of lift under the aircraft. Lift is the force that directly opposes the weight of an airplane and holds the airplane in the air. A stall happens when a plane's wing loses lift because it's not moving at a good angle to the air.
Linesville Volunteer Fire Department was called to the scene to put out the fire. Firemen were staying on site in shifts to keep the crash site secure until federal investigators completed their onsite investigation, said Chief Bill Mickle of Linesville Volunteer Fire Department.
According to the FAA Registry, Ross held a valid private pilot license from the FAA since March 8, 2010. The plane, a 1996 SlipStream Genesis, was a fixed-wing single-engine aircraft with Ross as the registered owner. The plane was classified as experimental and listed as airworthy July 4, 2007, according to the FAA Registry.
The plane's last FAA registry was validated Dec. 15, 2014, and valid through Dec. 31 of this year.
SlipStream International of Beloit, Wis., manufactures the Genesis, an enclosed cabin airplane, and sells it as a kit, according to the company's website. The Genesis is designed as a pusher-type airplane with the engine mounted behind the cockpit, according to the website.
Building a Genesis typically takes about 400 hours to complete, according to the website. The Genesis basic airframe costs $15,540 with all of the flight surfaces, fuselage, fiberglass enclosure, landing gear, wheels and tires, control system and doors included. A complete Genesis aircraft, ready to fly, typically runs from $35,000 to $59,000, depending on engine and choice of options, according to the website.
Sunday night's crash was less than a mile south of plane crash the night of Dec. 7, 2015, that claimed the lives of pilot Timothy Williams, 59, of Burghill, Ohio, and passenger Nathan Koontz, 33, of Linesville.
The final FAA report on the probable cause of that crash was Williams’ decision to fly on "a dark, moonless night in instrument meteorological conditions" when Williams was not rated to fly on instruments. The plane crashed into a wooded area while maneuvering near Merry-Pymatuning Airport, which is an unlit airstrip.
http://www.meadvilletribune.com
Federal investigators are trying to determine the cause of a small plane crash, which claimed the life of an Edinboro pilot.
On Monday, investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration made their way to the crash site off of Airport Road in Linesville, to sift through the wreckage.
On Sunday evening, investigators say 70-year-old Harry Ross had just taken off from the Merry Pymatuning Airport, when something went terribly wrong.
"It progressed up to about 400 to 500 feet, made a sharp right turn here towards us, and the witnesses said that the aircraft nose-dived into the ground.” said NTSB Investigator Aaron McCarter.
After crashing into a field, the ultralight plane--which had just been refueld--burst into flames.
"Before we got here, bystanders had taken the person who was operating this plane, and got him away from the plane.” said Linesville Fire Chief Bill Mickle.
Ross died at the scene. The Crawford County Coroner has ruled his death accidental due to multiple blunt force trauma.
The crash site is near the same spot where a small aircraft crashed in December of 2015, killing two people.
No autopsy is scheduled, but the Crawford County Coroner will conduct a toxicology test on Ross.
LINESVILLE — Federal Aviation Administration investigators are expected to travel to western Crawford County Monday to begin their investigation into an aircraft crash north of the borough that killed an Edinboro man on Sunday night.
Crawford County Coroner Scott Schell identified the victim as 70-year-old Harry A. Ross. Schell said Ross died multiple blunt-force trauma and thermal injuries in the crash, which happened in a farm field off Airport Road in Conneaut Township, Crawford County, at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
An autopsy will not be performed, but toxicology testing will be done on Ross, Schell said.
The crash happened about a half mile from Merrys Pymatuning Airport. It remained unclear Monday morning if Ross was flying into the airport or had taken off from it.
Linesville firefighters were sent to the area on a report of an aircraft crash and arrived to find heavy smoke and fire coming from the wrecked aircraft, Linesville Fire Chief Bill Mickle said. Pennsylvania State Police investigators were also called to the scene.
Mickle said firefighters would remain at the scene Sunday night and Monday morning to secure it until federal investigators arrived.
http://www.goerie.com
A 70-year-old Edinboro man is dead after his ultralight aircraft crashed nose first into a soybean field in Conneaut Township, Crawford County, and caught on fire. The crash happened just after 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
Crawford County Coroner Scott Schell told Erie News Now the man died of multiple blunt force trauma and burns. He is identified as Harry Albert Ross. His wife has been notified.
Eye witnesses called 911 to report that the plane had just taken off from nearby Merry Field airport, where Ross kept his plane, when it banked left, went into a spiral, crashed and erupted in flames. The wreckage was found about 300 feet west of Airport Road, about a mile-and-a-half north of Route 6.
Linesville Firefighters used an all terrain vehicle with water on board to get to the aircraft and put out the fire. The pilot was the only person on board.
There are no reports yet on what went wrong. The FAA is expected to investigate.
The ultralight crashed not far from the site where a small Cub Kit aircraft crashed in December 2015, killing two people.
http://www.erienewsnow.com
No comments:
Post a Comment