Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Loss of Control in Flight: Globe GC-1A Swift, N90365; fatal accident occurred October 09, 2017 at Mid Valley Airpark (E98), Los Lunas, Valencia County, New Mexico








Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Albuquerque, New Mexico

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:


Location: Los Lunas, New Mexico 
Accident Number: CEN18LA012
Date and Time: October 9, 2017, 14:25 Local 
Registration: N90365
Aircraft: Globe GC 1A 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight 
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The airplane arrived to the airport as a refuel stop the day before the accident. During the landing, the airplane ground looped and sustained unknown damage to the airplane. Over the course of that day and the day of the accident, the pilot, who was also a mechanic, completed repairs to the airplane with the assistance from persons at the airport. A portion of the repairs included welding to the right main landing gear link assemblies, and any additional repairs to the airplane were unknown. During takeoff the day following the ground loop, the airplane veered to the left of the runway and struck a berm. The airplane became airborne and then impacted a steel culvert structure adjacent to the runway. The pilot died of his injuries 17 days after the accident. Persons who spoke to the pilot before and after the accident reported the pilot had minimal flying experience in recent years in the accident airplane. The pilot stated during his hospital stay after the accident that there were no mechanical issues during the accident takeoff.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The loss of directional control during takeoff and impact with a steel culvert.

Findings

Aircraft Directional control - Not attained/maintained
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot

Factual Information

History of Flight

Takeoff Aircraft structural failure

Takeoff Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Takeoff Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

On October 9, 2017, about 1425 mountain daylight time, a Globe Swift GC-1A airplane, N90365, impacted a steel culvert structure following a loss of control during takeoff from the Mid Valley Airpark (E98), Los Lunas, New Mexico. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code
of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating from E98 at the time of the accident and was destined for Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident site, the airplane arrived at E98 the day before the accident as a refuel stop after attending a Swift airplane event in Texas. During the landing at E98, the airplane ground looped and sustained unknown damage to the airplane. Over the course of that day and the day of the accident, the pilot, who was also a mechanic, completed repairs to the airplane with assistance from persons at the airport. A portion of the repairs included welding to the right main landing gear link assemblies, and any additional repairs to the airplane were unknown.

During takeoff from runway 36 (4,332 ft long by 37 ft wide) at E98 on the day of the accident, the airplane veered to the left of the runway and struck a berm. The airplane became airborne and then impacted a steel culvert structure adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private 
Age: 72, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land 
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations 
Last FAA Medical Exam: March 8, 2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: April 1, 2016
Flight Time: (Estimated) 3275 hours (Total, all aircraft)

According to persons who had spoken to the pilot at the event in Texas and after the accident, the pilot had minimal flying experience in recent years in the accident airplane. The persons also reported the pilot stated during his hospital stay that he did not indicate there were any mechanical issues during the accident takeoff.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Globe
Registration: N90365
Model/Series: GC 1A NO SERIES 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1946
Amateur Built:
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal 
Serial Number: 379
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel 
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1570 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, not activated 
Engine Model/Series: IA-360-A1A
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power:
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

The airplane records were not located during the investigation.

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: E80
Distance from Accident Site: 8 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 14:15 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 210°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 
Visibility 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 15 knots / 23 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  / None
Wind Direction: 290° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg 
Temperature/Dew Point: 20°C / -5°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Los Lunas, NM (E98) 
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Las Vegas, NV 
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 14:25 Local 
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Mid Valley Airpark E98
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 4835 ft msl 
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 36
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4332 ft / 37 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal 
Latitude, Longitude: 34.761112,-106.745002(est)

Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed the left main landing gear link assemblies were broken. It was not determined if the broken link assemblies were a result of damage sustained during the ground loop the day prior to the accident.

Medical and Pathological Information

The pilot died in the hospital on October 26, 2017. On October 27, 2017, an autopsy was performed by the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to the autopsy, the cause of death was listed as pneumonia due to blunt trauma. Toxicology tests were not performed due to the lack of available specimens on, or near, the date of the accident.

============

NTSB Identification: CEN18LA012
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, October 09, 2017 in Los Lunas, NM
Aircraft: GLOBE GC 1A, registration: N90365
Injuries: 1 Serious.

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 may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On October 9, 2017, about 1425 mountain daylight time, a Globe Swift GC-1A airplane, N90365, impacted a steel culvert structure following a loss of control during takeoff from the Mid Valley Airpark (E98), Los Lunas, New Mexico. The private pilot sustained serious injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating from E98 at the time of the accident and was destined for Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident site, the airplane arrived to E98 to refuel the day before the accident after attending a Swift airplane event in Texas. During the subsequent takeoff from E98, the airplane ground looped and sustained unknown damage to the airplane. Over the course of that day and the day of the accident, the pilot, who was also a mechanic, completed repairs to the airplane. A portion of the repairs included welding to the right main landing strut assembly, and any additional repairs to the airplane were unknown.

During takeoff from runway 36 (4,332 ft long by 37 ft wide) at E98 on the day of the accident, the airplane veered to the left of the runway and struck a berm. The airplane became airborne and then impacted a steel culvert structure adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. 

Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed the left main landing gear strut assembly was broken.

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