Wednesday, October 04, 2017

Fisher Horizon 2, registered to the pilot, operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, N428AP: Fatal accident occurred October 04, 2017 near Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM), Eden Prairie, Hennepin County, Minnesota

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Minneapolis, Minnesota

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/N428AP


Location: Eden Prairie, MN
Accident Number: CEN18FA003
Date & Time: 10/04/2017, 1108 CDT
Registration: N428AP
Aircraft: SCHAFFER Fisher Horizon 2
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 4, 2017, at 1108 central daylight time, an amateur-built Horizon 2 airplane, N428AP, collided with terrain in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postimpact fire. The airplane was registered to the pilot who was operating it under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual flight rules conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and a flight plan had not been filed for the local personal flight, which departed from Flying Cloud Airport (FCM), Eden Prairie, Minnesota, about 1103 .

The pilot was conducting the first flight in his Horizon 2 airplane since building it. According to the FCM tower controller, after the airplane lifted off from runway 28R, the pilot aborted the takeoff for unknown reasons. The pilot taxied the airplane back to the end of the runway and then took off again.

One witness at the airport reported that the airplane was "unstable" during the takeoff. Another witness reported that it appeared as if the airplane "became airborne too soon as the airplane settled back on the runway" before lifting off again. Witnesses also described the airplane struggling to gain altitude, pitching up and down, and banking during the takeoff. One witness stated that he could see the top of the wings, as if the airplane was straight up and down, before it turned to the southeast. Several witnesses reported hearing "good" engine sounds. Other witnesses, who saw the airplane just before the impact, reported that it was in a steep nose-down, left descending spiral. Two witnesses reported seeing the airplane spiral one and a half to three times before it descended below the trees, followed by a plume of black smoke.

The Minneapolis St. Paul Metropolitan Airport Commission provided flight track data for the accident flight. The data indicated that the airplane departed from runway 28R and made a wide, climbing right turn to the northeast. During the climb, the airplane leveled off for about 10 seconds about 925 ft above ground level (agl). The climb then continued to 1,050 agl, at which point the airplane entered a descent and was then lost on radar.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating, which was issued on October 12, 1988. The pilot's logbook contained entries from May 31, 1987, through August 27, 2016. Between 1999 and 2005 , the pilot recorded 10.2 hours of flight experience. There were no entries between 2005 and August 6, 2017. The pilot recorded 4.8 hours of flight experience with a flight instructor in a Jabiru airplane between August 6 and August 27, 2017, at which time, the pilot completed a flight review . According to the logbook, the pilot's total flight experience was 312.1 hours. The pilot did not log any flight time in a Horizon 2 airplane, and the logbook did not contain a tailwheel endorsement. The pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate was issued on March 7, 2012.

The flight instructor, who had flown with the pilot in August (about 2 months before the accident), stated that they had discussed whether to have an experienced pilot conduct the first flight in the pilot's airplane after it was built. The flight instructor stated that the pilot replied that he had built the airplane, so he was going to conduct the first flight.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The Horizon 2 is a two-place, high-wing, tailwheel-equipped airplane with a tandem seating arrangement. The airplane structure was made of primarily wood and had a fabric skin. The airplane was powered by a 100-horsepower, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, Subaru EA81 engine. The engine logbook indicated that the engine was rebuilt in March 2015. The only other entry in the logbook was dated May 5, 2017, which indicated that an oil cooler had been installed. There were no engine times listed in the logbook.

The pilot maintained a build log for the airplane, which indicated that he had purchased the plans and started building the airplane in 1991. The last entry in the log was dated June 16, 2015, which documented adjustments to the carburetor and throttle control cable.

On June 7, 2017, the pilot ground looped the airplane, which resulted in landing gear damage, while performing high-speed taxi tests. .

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The initial impact point was in a parking lot and left scrape marks on the asphalt. The wreckage path from the initial impact point to the main wreckage was on a magnetic heading of 30°. . A gouge mark was found in the asphalt about 20 ft farther along the path, and it contained numerous pieces of splintered wood. The right wing was found wrapped around a pole about 210 ft from the initial impact. Further along the wreckage path were the fuel tanks, the engine, portions of t he cockpit/fuselage, the empennage, and the propeller hub. The wreckage from the right wing to the end of the wreckage path was mostly destroyed by fire. Pieces of the splintered composite propeller blade, plexiglass, and wood were scattered along the entire wreckage path.

The fuselage and cockpit area were destroyed by fire. The main landing gear assembly was separated from the fuselage. The bottom of the right wing was destroyed from the wing root to the aileron attachment point. The fabric on the top of the wing was scorched and melted in the wing root area. The flap was separated into two pieces. The inboard section of the flap was separated from the wing, and the outboard section remained attached. The aileron remained intact and attached to the wing. The control cables were pulled out from the wing and remained attached to the cockpit control column.

The left wing was destroyed by fire. The left aileron was separated from the wing. The aileron control cable was found near the burned wing, and it remained attached to the cockpit control column.

The fuel tanks were separated from the wings and burned. The fuel tank caps were not in place; however, melted material was visible around the base of the filler neck. Material was visible inside the left fuel tank, and it appeared to be portions of the melted fuel cap. The position of the cockpit fuel selector could not be determined due to impact and fire damage.

The empennage frame was heat damaged but remained intact. A portion of scorched fabric remained attached to the right elevator. The rudder cables remained attached to the bottom of the rudder and tailwheel. Cable continuity from the cockpit area to the forward and aft seat right rudder pedals was established. The forward and aft seat left rudder pedals were not found. However, the left cable was intact, and it contained the turnbuckles and rudder pedal attachment hardware.

The elevator control push-pull tube was connected at the elevator control surface and at the cockpit control. The center section of the push-pull tube was melted, and only portions of the tube were found. The elevator trim cable remained attached at the elevator control surface.

The engine was burned, and its right side was impact-damaged. The right valve cover was impact-damaged and was separated from the engine. Two of the valve lifters on the right side were separated from the engine. The left valve cover was in place, and the valves and springs were intact. The oil pan was removed from the engine, and the inside of the engine was intact and contained oil. The propeller was separated from the engine. The ring gear was smashed rearward against the engine case.

One of the propeller's composite blades remained mostly intact and attached to the hub. The butt end of the other two blades remained attached to the hub. The propeller spinner was separated from the hub. The spinner was flattened and exhibited a small amount of torsional bending.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office, Minneapolis, Minnesota, conducted an autopsy of the pilot. The pilot's death was attributed to "multiple blunt force injuries due to an airplane crash."

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Research Sciences Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot. The testing was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and drugs.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 77, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Unknown
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: None None
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/07/2012
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 08/27/2016
Flight Time:  312.1 hours (Total, all aircraft), 0.1 hours (Total, this make and model), 205.9 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 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: SCHAFFER
Registration: N428AP
Model/Series: Fisher Horizon 2
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2016
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: 001
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats:  2
Date/Type of Last Inspection:  Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1050 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: Subaru
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: EA81
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 100
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: FCM, 906 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 225 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1605 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 328°
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 2400 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 8 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 260°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 30.37 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 11°C / 5°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Eden Prairie, MN (FCM)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Eden Prairie, MN (FCM)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 1103 CDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: Flying Cloud (FCM)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 906 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 28R
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3898 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

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: 44.855833, -93.483889 (est)

NTSB Identification: CEN18FA003
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, October 04, 2017 in Eden Prairie, MN
Aircraft: SCHAFFER Fisher Horizon 2, registration: N428AP
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 October 4, 2017, at 1108 central daylight time, N428AP, an amateur built Schaffer Fisher Horizon 2 airplane, collided with terrain in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The private rated pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual flight rules conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident, and a flight plan had not been filed. The local flight departed from the Flying Cloud Airport (FCM), Eden Prairie, Minnesota, about 1103.

According to the FCM control tower controller, the pilot had departed on runway 28R. Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane takeoff and just prior to the impact. Witnesses on the airport that saw the takeoff, reported the airplane was "unstable" during the takeoff. They described the airplane pitching up and down, and banking as it climbed out. One witness stated he was able to see the top of the wings as if the airplane was straight up and down before it made a turn to the southeast. Other witnesses who saw the airplane just before the impact reported the airplane was a in a steep nose down, left descending spiral. The witnesses reported seeing the airplane complete between 1 ½ and 3 spirals before it descended below the trees. Several witnesses reported hearing the airplane engine sound. The FCM controller also reported the pilot had aborted a previous takeoff attempt, just prior to the accident flight. The reason for the aborted takeoff is unknown.

The initial impact point was in the parking lot on the south side of the Resurrection Life Church located on Glory Lane, Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The wreckage debris path from the first impact to the main wreckage was on a magnetic heading of 30°. The initial ground impact consisted of scrape marks on the asphalt. About 20 feet further along the path was a gouge mark in the pavement which contained numerous pieces of splintered wood. The right wing was located wrapped around a light pole about 210' from the initial impact. Further along the wreckage path were the burned fuel tanks, the engine, what remained of the cockpit/fuselage, the empennage, and lastly the propeller hub. The wreckage from the right wing to the end of the wreckage path was mostly destroyed by fire. Pieces of the splintered composite propeller blade, plexiglass, and wood were scattered along the entire wreckage path.



Philip Anthony Schaffer


Schaffer, Philip Anthony Age 77, of Richfield passed away on October 4, 2017. He was preceded in death by his parents, John "Anthony" & Helen, brother Daniel. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary; children, John, Rhonda, & Michael (Jessica). Philip retired from the United States Postal Service and began teaching violin and piano to students of all ages. He had a passion for flight which included building his own plane over the course of 20 plus years. He enjoyed camping, fishing, and traveling with his family. Funeral service will be Monday October 16, 11 AM at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 4573 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis. Visitation Sunday October 15 from 4-7 PM at Gill Brothers Funeral Home, 5801 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, and 1 hour prior to Mass at the church. GILLBROTHERS.com Minneapolis



EDEN PRAIRIE — The pilot who was killed in a plane crash behind Resurrection Church in Eden Prairie on Wednesday, Oct. 4, has been identified as Philip A. Schaffer of Richfield.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the identity on Thursday, Oct. 5. 

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash and will issue a preliminary report within seven to 10 days after the incident. The full investigation will take one to two years to complete before a final probable cause report is released, said Eric Weiss, NTSB spokesman. 

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, Minnesota State Patrol and Metropolitan Airports Commission and Eden Prairie Police Department assisted with the initial crash investigation. 

Emergency personnel were called to Eden Prairie's Resurrection Life Church, 16394 Glory Lane, at 11:10 a.m. Oct. 4 after Schaffer's Fisher Horizon 2 airplane crashed in the church's parking lot. He was the only person on board, according to the Eden Prairie Police Department. 

Shortly after taking off at Flying Cloud Airport, about 1 1/2 miles southeast, Schaffer reported a fire on the plane, A witness told authorities the plane was circling the area before the crash, Eden Prairie Police Lt. Bill Wyffels said Wednesday. 

Eden Prairie resident Abi Conner was driving on Eden Prairie Road around 11:05 a.m. to go home with her son and stopped at the intersection with Minnesota Highway 5 to make a left turn. As she waited for the light to change, she looked up and saw a white plane flying close to the ground. 

"It was so close to the trees. I thought it was a cool trick," she said, adding that she then realized something was wrong. The plane turned sideways and plummeted straight toward the ground. 

People sitting in traffic around her didn't move even after the traffic light changed. Conner looked at a car next to her and the woman was staring straight ahead with her jaw dropped. They could see black smoke billowing from the area where the plane had gone down, she said. 

"I was hoping it wasn't what i thought it was," she said.

She started to dial 911 but then saw several emergency vehicles rushing toward the scene. "It's not something you expect to see in real life," Conner said.

Police asked drivers to stay away from the scene by Eden Prairie Road and Glory Lane, which is a little north of Highway 212.  Wyffels said they were allowing limited access at the church to community members who use it. 

FAA online registry records indicate the Fisher Horizon 2 is an amateur-built experimental aircraft. Schaffer was a member of a Twin Cities-based chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association, according to the chapter's website. 

The last fatal plane crash in Eden Prairie was in August 2009 when pilot Wayne Monson, 53, of Hibbing and Rivka Chayka-Lev, 29, of Apple Valley were killed in a crash that occurred next to the historic Cummins-Phipps-Grill house, 13800 Pioneer Trail. The National Transportation Safety Board cited pilot lack of experience and partial engine loss as the cause in its 2011 report on the incident.





EDEN PRAIRIE — Emergency personnel were called to Eden Prairie's Resurrection Life Church at 11:10 a.m. Wednesday, after a small experimental airplane crashed in its parking lot.

One person on board, the pilot, is reported dead, according to Eden Prairie Police Lt. Bill Wyffels.

Shortly after taking off at Flying Cloud Airport, located about 1-1/2 miles southeast, the pilot reported a fire on the plane, A witness told authorities the plane was circling the area before the crash, Wyffels said, at a Wednesday afternoon press briefing.

Eden Prairie resident Abi Conner was driving on Eden Prairie Road around 11:05 a.m. to go home with her son and stopped at the intersection with Minnesota Highway 5 to make a left turn. As she waited for the light to change, she looked up and saw a white plane flying close to the ground. 

"It was so close to the trees. I thought it was a cool trick," she said, adding that she then realized something was wrong. The plane turned sideways and plummeted straight toward the ground. 

People sitting in traffic around her didn't move even after the traffic light changed. Conner looked at a car next to her and the woman was staring straight ahead with her jaw dropped. They could see black smoke billowing from the area where the plane had gone down, she said. 

"I was hoping it wasn't what I thought it was," she said.

She started to dial 911 but then saw several emergency vehicles rushing toward the scene. "It's not something you expect to see in real life," Conner said.

The plane crashed near a wooded area in the church parking lot, at 16394 Glory Lane, according to Wyffels. There were no other injuries or property damage caused by the crash.

 Police have asked drivers to stay away from the scene by Eden Prairie Road and Glory Lane, which is a little north of Highway 212.  Wyffels said they will allow limited access at the church to community members who use it. 

The Federal Aviation Administration is already at the site of the crash, according to Patrick Hogan, Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesperson.

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, State Patrol and Metropolitan Airports Commission are assisting Eden Prairie Police with the initial crash investigation and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner will identify the victim, according to the Eden Prairie Police.

The last fatal plane crash in Eden Prairie was in August 2009 when pilot Wayne Monson, 53, of Hibbing and Rivka Chayka-Lev, 29, of Apple Valley were killed in a crash that occurred next to the historic Cummins-Phipps-Grill house, 13800 Pioneer Trail. The National Transportation Safety Board cited pilot lack of experience and partial engine loss as the cause in its 2011 report on incident.


Story, video and photo gallery ➤ http://www.swnewsmedia.com



Emergency crews walk by the wreckage of a small plane that crashed in the parking lot of Resurrection Life Church in Eden Prairie.

A small airplane caught fire and crashed late Wednesday morning in a church parking lot shortly after leaving Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie, killing the pilot.

Police and fire personnel were on the scene, where the plane crashed in a wooded area next to the Resurrection Life Church parking lot at 16394 Glory Lane. That's just north of Hwy. 212 and 2½ miles from the airport.

Law enforcement asked motorists stay clear of the area. Authorities say the pilot was the only fatality.

"We did hear information from the airport that they did say there was a fire on board," said Police Lt. Bill Wyffels.

A witness "saw the plane go into a circle right before it went down," Wyffels added.

The heavily mangled and charred wreckage outside the church sent gray smoke skyward that nearby traffic control cameras picked up. Authorities including the Minnesota State Patrol and Eden Prairie police were on the scene, where a large piece of debris was wrapped around a lamppost and a red screen was set up, shielding the wreckage.

There were no passengers and no other injuries or property damage resulting from the crash.

"It is fortunate that it did not hit a building and landed in the parking lot," Wyffels said. "There were no cars in close proximity."

Federal Aviation Administration records show that the Fisher Horizon 2 aircraft is an "experimental ... amateur built" plane with one engine. It is owned by a man from Richfield, according to the FAA's aircraft registry, but authorities have yet to disclose any information about the person on board.

In 2006, the man joined Chapter 25 of the Experimental Aircraft Association and noted in a newsletter want ad then that he was in the market for instruments for an aircraft project he was working on "almost daily."

Along with the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the crash.

Authorities said an employee at an electrical company across the street from the crash saw the plane circling twice before it crashed. Chad Willard, an assistant funeral director at nearby Huber Funeral Home & Cremation, said he was in his office when he heard the crash.

"It was an impact and then the explosion; it was out of the ordinary," said Willard, who went outside to see the debris and flames. He said he did not hear any engine sound before the crash.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.startribune.com





EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - Authorities say one person was killed when a small plane crashed in an Eden Prairie church parking lot Wednesday morning.

Eden Prairie police Lt. Bill Wyffels says they received the call at 11:10 a.m. Wyffels says shortly after takeoff, Flying Cloud Airport said they got a report that a small single engine aircraft had a fire on board.

The plane crashed near a wooded area in the parking lot of Resurrection Life Church, about one and a half miles northwest of the airport.

Police say the pilot was killed, and no one else was on board. Metropolitan Airports Commission Spokesperson Patrick Hogan says the plane was an experimental aircraft.

"It is fortunate that it did not hit a building," Wyffels said. "It landed in the parking lot, there was no cars close proximity that it even damaged and everything was contained within the parking lot. So that part was fortunate, but it is an unfortunate event."

Wyffels said because the plane started on fire, there's too much damage to determine the make and model at this point.

A witness told police they saw the aircraft circling right before it went down.

Eden Prairie Police and Fire, and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office assisted at the scene. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating.

No roads in the area appeared to be closed, and Wyffels says police are working with the church to give that community limited access to the building.

"They've been very helpful for us today," he said.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.kare11.com






MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Authorities say one person is dead after a small plane crashed in a parking lot in the west Twin Cities metro Wednesday morning.

Eden Prairie police and fire responded to the crash at about 11:08 a.m. Police were notified of a pilot on an in-flight plane reporting a fire on board. Authorities say it was a small, single-engine aircraft and it crashed near Eden Prairie Road and Glory Lane. The location was in a wooded area in the parking lot of Resurrection Life Church.

A spokesperson with the city of Eden Prairie said the pilot was killed in the crash and was the lone occupant of the plane. The pilot has not been identified.

The Eden Prairie Police Department is being assisted at the scene by the Metropolitan Airports Commission, Federal Aviation Administration, Minnesota State Patrol, Hennepin County Crime Lab, National Transportation Safety board and Hennepin County Medical Examiner.

Original article can be found here ➤ http://minnesota.cbslocal.com





An experimental aircraft crashed Wednesday morning shortly after taking off from Flying Cloud Airport. The pilot, who'd reported a fire on board just after 11 a.m., is dead, police say.

Eden Prairie police and fire units responded in the morning to a report of a plane down at Eden Prairie Road and Glory Lane, just north of Minnesota Highway 212. They found the wreckage in the parking lot of Resurrection Life Church.

Radio traffic between the pilot and the Flying Cloud tower indicated the pilot was attempting a takeoff and landing maneuver.

Eden Prairie police Lt. Bill Wyffels said a witness told officers the plane was circling above the crash site shortly before it went down. The plane, he added, did not hit the church or any other building, and damage was contained to the parking lot.

There were no passengers and no other injuries or property damage resulting from the crash, the department said.

The pilot's name was not released. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office is expected to identify the victim later.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB identified the plane as a Fisher Horizon II, an experimental craft that is purchased as a kit and intended to be built by the owner.

In 2009, two people died when a small plane crashed on the grounds of a historical farmstead outside Minneapolis shortly after taking off from Flying Cloud.

Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.mprnews.org

No comments:

Post a Comment