Friday, June 30, 2017

Rand KR-2, N269HJ: Accident occurred June 30, 2017 at Skypark Estates Airpark (18FD), Baker, Okaloosa County, Florida

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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Birmingham, Alabama
Continental Motors Group; Mobile, Alabama

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/N269HJ


Location: Baker, FL
Accident Number: ERA17LA220
Date & Time: 06/30/2017, 1238 EDT
Registration: N269HJ
Aircraft: Nunley KR2
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial)
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On June 30, 2017, about 1238 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built KR2, N269HJ, was destroyed following a collision with terrain at Skypark Estates Airpark (18FD), Baker, Florida. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that was originating at the time of the accident.

The pilot reported the that he was preparing for a local flight as part of the 40-hr phase I test period. The airplane had a total of 12 hours accumulated time and he was the registered builder of the airplane. The preflight operations were normal, he performed an engine run-up, and taxied to the end of the runway for departure. The fuel tank contained 10 gallons of fuel. The takeoff was normal until about half way down the runway, when the engine "sputtered and hesitated" and lost power. He was past the point where he could land on the runway, so he looked for a place to perform a forced landing. He initiated a right turn to avoid nearby houses, but, the wind was out of the north and pushed him to the left. He steepened the turn; however, he realized he needed more power to remain airborne. He stated that the engine never stopped running, but it was not producing enough power. He did not recall the actual impact due to his injuries.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate for rotorcraft and gyroplane. He did not hold an airplane single-engine landrating. He stated in an interview that he was ready to take his sport pilot certificate check ride; however, he was unable to complete it due to weather cancelations. He reported 2,000 hours total flight time, including 500 hours in "ultralights."

A witness was on the airfield and observed the airplane as it took off on runway 27. About 300 to 500 ft agl, after takeoff, the engine sputtered and changed sound. This occurred as the pilot began a 45º climbing turn to the right. The pilot then began a "tight" turn to the left and the airplane descended toward the ground. The witness reported that the engine appeared to be running throughout the accident sequence and may have been near idle power during the descent.

An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The wings separated from the airframe and were found fragmented. The engine, firewall, and propeller separated from the forward fuselage. The empennage remained attached to the aft fuselage. There was no fire.

The engine was examined by an FAA inspector and a representative from the engine manufacturer. The engine exhibited impact damage predominantly on the under and left sides. The two-blade, fixed pitch, wooden propeller remained attached to the hub and the hub remained attached to the crankshaft. The propeller blades were shattered into numerous pieces.

The carburetor exhibited impact damage. It was broken free from the induction system and the inlet fuel line was separated. The throttle control arm was found loose on the throttle control shaft; however, there was impact damage to the area and the pre-accident condition could not be determined. The carburetor was disassembled, and the internal components were undamaged. The fuel inlet screen was clean.

The left magneto remained attached to the engine with impact damage evident to the distributor section. When rotated manually, it would produce spark on one post. It was removed and examined; the distributor was impact-damaged, and the distributor gear was displaced from impact forces. The right magneto was undamaged and remained attached to the engine. It was rotated manually and produced spark on all leads and in the correct order.

The top spark plugs were removed for examination. The bottom spark plugs exhibited impact damage. The top plug electrodes exhibited minimal wear and light gray color when compared to a Champion inspection chart.

The engine was rotated manually; internal continuity was confirmed, and compression and suction were observed on the No. 1 and No. 3 cylinders. Internal inspection of the cylinder components revealed normal operating and wear signatures. The No. 2 cylinder exhibited impact damage. Further disassembly revealed a fractured mounting stud under the intake valve and the exhaust valve was stuck in the open position. The mounting stud was determined to be from the carburetor and showed signatures of separation during the impact sequence. The exhaust valve was removed and was bent from impact. The No. 4 cylinder also exhibited impact damage to the head with damage to the valves. Other than impact damage, the internal components of the No. 2 and No. 4 cylinders revealed normal operating and wear signatures.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 49, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Gyroplane; Helicopter
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Helicopter
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/12/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 2000 hours (Total, all aircraft), 12 hours (Total, this make and model)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Nunley
Registration: N269HJ
Model/Series: KR2
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2017
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: 8362
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection:
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1100 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines:  1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: O-170
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power:
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: CEW, 213 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 9 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1753 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 120°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 2700 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Light and Variable /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: Variable
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.09 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C / 25°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Baker, FL (18FD)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Baker, FL (18FD)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1238 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Skypark Estates Airpark (18FD)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 250 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 27
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3015 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious

Latitude, Longitude: 30.854167, -86.667222 (est)

NTSB Identification: ERA17LA220
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, June 30, 2017 in Baker, FL
Aircraft: Nunley KR2, registration: N269HJ
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 June 30, 2017, about 1238 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built KR2, N269HJ, was destroyed following a collision with terrain at Skypark Estates Airpark (18FD), Baker, Florida. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.

A witness was on the airfield and observed the airplane as it took off on runway 27. About 300 to 500 ft agl, after takeoff, the engine sputtered and changed sound. This occurred as the pilot began a 45º climbing turn to the right. The pilot then began a "tight" turn to the left and the airplane descended toward the ground. The witness reported that the engine appeared to be running throughout the accident sequence and may have been near idle power during the descent.
The airplane collided with the ground and first responders assisted the pilot out of the wreckage.

An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The wings separated from the airframe and were found fragmented. The engine and propeller separated from the forward fuselage. The empennage remained attached to the aft fuselage.

The wreckage was retained for further examination.






BAKER — A Baker man is being treated at the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center after his experimental aircraft crashed around 11 a.m. Friday morning short of the runway at the Sky Ranch airstrip in Baker.

According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, witnesses said they heard the engine sputtering prior to the crash landing. There were no reports of a fire and the pilot had pain, but no visible injuries.

The pilot was alert and conscious when transported.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been contacted.

This is the second airplane crash on the Emerald Coast in less than a week.

On Saturday, an airplane carrying an Arkansas couple crashed in Sand Hills, just north of Panama City, after it lost power for unknown reasons. That crash is still under investigation. The couple was taken to the hospital in serious condition. 

http://www.nwfdailynews.com

Herb Spenner: Teaching, Flying, Building His Own Plane



For 30 years, during careers in engineering and computerized banking, through fatherhood and retirement and as a student and teacher at Gavilan Community College in Gilroy, Herb Spenner lived with a singular, droning dream.

Now, every chance he gets, he drives his bright red Mazda the 20-odd miles from his home in the Almaden Valley section of San Jose to a cavernous classroom hanger at the tiny, ground squirrel-plagued San Martin airport.

He’s finally building his dream—for himself, his family and friends.

And when he builds it, they will fly.

From a kit that arrives in big, raw wood boxes packed with gleaming sheets of thin aluminum, steel cables and maybe 15,000 rivets, Spenner is building an airplane.

When all is said and done, it will have consumed perhaps 1,000-plus hours of meticulous, exacting toil over two to three years of a lifetime.

And the total price tag will hover at an altitude of about $100,000.

Small price to pay to make a dream come true, is how Spenner, 59, looks at it now that summer vacation’s here and he can rivet and bolt pieces together unfettered by the demands of teaching aviation maintenance technology students at Gavilan Community College.

It’s an accidental job that took off after he retired from electrical engineering, stints owning a company and consulting and tending to complex software that banks use to transfer billions of dollars with the push of a button.

Yes, he concedes, he grounded his Wright Brothers dream during a time-sapping career of start-ups and downs. And anyway, his wife and their son and daughter were his priorities; the cost of a languishing dream was out of the question with mouths to feed and college tuitions to pay.

But now, he’s building his flying machine.

Ironically, Spenner’s working a short hop from where aviation pioneer Robert Fowler did the same thing shortly after the Wright Brothers went airborne for 12 seconds over a distance of 120 feet on Dec. 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, NC.

Spenner was unaware of Fowler, although knew of another, unrelated Fowler who gave his name to a wing invention, the Fowler Flap.

Robert Fowler was a Gilroy bicycle mechanic when he caught the flying flu and built and tested his first Wright-like flying machine off the gentle slopes of Gilroy’s eastern foothills along Crews Road near his home, which still stands.

A photo of Fowler hangs in a special pioneers’ room at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

Taking off from Golden Gate Field in San Francisco and landing in Florida, Fowler was the first to fly across the United States from West to East coasts, It was a weeks-long trip in 1911 at about 40 mph and 100-ft. altitudes, with many harrowing up and downs.

The four-man competition sponsored by Hearst Newspapers did not have a winner; no pilot finished in the requisite number of days.

Fowler also partnered with aviation legend Glenn Curtiss, considered the founder of the aviation industry, to manufacture planes on Long Island, New York.

A competitor of the Wright brothers, Fowler’s firm was located near the spot where Charles Lindbergh would take off on May 20, 1927 from Roosevelt Field for history’s first trans-Atlantic flight, landing in Paris, France.

The Gilroy aviator at one point was tried as a spy by the US government because he and a passenger flew over and photographed the Panama Canal while it was under construction. He was exonerated.

Although unacknowledged in Gilroy except for some materials at the city museum, a bust of Fowler stands in the San Jose International Airport. His papers and a pair of goggles were donated to the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos by his daughter in the 1990s.

When the Hiller opened in the late 90s, it had the aviator’s famous Fowler-Gage biplane, according to Jeffery Bass, the museum’s President and CEO.

The plane was owned at the time by the Smithsonian which has since brought it to Washington, DC, he said.

Fowler would be dazzled by Spenner’s flying machine and its cost.

It’s called an RV-12, what Spenner refers to as a Miata-like craft with a bubble cockpit and the two-seater configuration of the sleek sports car.

The Federal Aviation Administration categorizes the aircraft as “experimental”. That means it can be built for educational purposes and flown without all the government red tape that applies to more complex aircraft.

The letters RV stand for its innovator, Richard VanGrunsven, who founded Vans Aircraft, Inc., near Aurora, Oregon in 1972. The firm has shipped more than 8,000 kits to 60 countries, according to its website, vansaircraft.com.

Spenner’s two-seater, side-by-side kit is the firm’s most popular and comes with a price tag of $66,685, he says.

Special tools, an expensive paint job, a nearly $27,000 Rotex piston engine, a solid state, computerized instrument display, a final inspection by an FAA certified pro and sundry other necessities will easily add another $30K-plus to the cost, Spenner says.

And while he is building in the college’s workshop/hanger cum classroom, he’s doing it all at his own expense with tools, including a drill press and hand-operated riveters, lugged from home.

The project began in Spenner’s two-car garage, with parts splayed out all over a nearby room and pool table.

But when he told Gavilan President Kathleen Rose about his project during the grand opening of the school’s airport facility in September 2016, she encouraged him to bring the project to Gavilan.

He did. It’s now part of the curriculum of the Air Frame and Powerplant classes that are graduating licensed or certified aviation technicians as fast as the industry can hire them, according to Spenner.

Like many of his students, Spenner’s fascination with aviation began early.

After helping a friend restore a rare 1946 Ercoupe plane he realized he was smitten with the bug.

“Since then, I’ve always wanted to build an airplane,” he says.

He earned a pilot’s license, graduated from Purdue University in Electrical Engineering, made avionics for the military for a while and visited nearby Oshkosh, WI, known as a mecca of aviation fans, as often as he could while living in Milwaukee.

Fast forward, and years of the corporate life got to be too much of a grind.

“I was spending more time in the boardroom than with engineers; that was enough,” he says.

So, Spenner retired 12 years ago and not long after signed up for the aviation tech classes at Gavilan to learn what he needed to know to finally build his flying machine – with two big conditions: the aircraft would have to have more than one seat and two of them had to be side-by-side.

“I don’t like to fly alone,” he explains. “Flying is social, I like to experience it with others.”

And that’s when this plan began again to go into a tailspin.

When Gavilan realized he was a wiz in math, he was asked to help fellow students who were struggling – so he coached them while attending classes, too.

He was graduated in 2009 from the two-year Gavilan program and was hired to teach part time in the department.

That turned quite suddenly into a full time job when his instructor had a family tragedy and had to step down.

“He just called me up and asked me if I could teach his classes,” Spenner says.

He took over the classes, and then spent the next couple of years redesigning the entire curriculum – all of which took him further away from fulfilling his dream.

“The plane got put on hold,” he says.

Finally, last year, he ordered the kit. And by the time he and his daughter returned from an inspiring visit to Oshkosh, the raw wood boxes had begun to show up at his doorstep. Soon after, the garage was cleared of autos and the pool table went silent.

For an electrical engineer who has learned about aviation maintenance and mechanics, building an airplane is not a typical bucket list item, according to Spenner.

He calls it an “Almost Mt. Everest-like” undertaking for someone with his background.

No problem; Herb Spenner has begun his ascent.

http://www.gilroydispatch.com

Piper PA-18 Super Cub, C-GIYL: Accident occurred June 30, 2017 near Courtenay Airpark, British Columbia, Canada








A small plane has crashed into the Courtenay River, but there are no reports of serious injuries.

Pictures from the scene show the small aircraft nose-down in the river, near the Courtenay Airpark.

Only the plane’s tail could be seen sticking out of the water, and police were on scene surveying the aircraft from a nearby dock.

Authorities have not confirmed any information, but the pilot appeared to have swam to shore safely with just minor injuries and was the only person aboard.

The plane is a Piper PA-18-135 from Yellowknife, N.W.T., according to registry information.

http://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca

Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, N2412D: Fatal accident occurred June 16, 2016 near Madison Municipal Airport (KIMS), Jefferson County, Indiana

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA220
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 16, 2016 in Madison, IN
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/12/2017
Aircraft: PIPER PA-38-112, registration: N2412D
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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.

The private pilot had departed the airport in visual meteorological conditions, when, about ½ mile from the departure end of the runway, the airplane collided with a power transmission line support structure that was about 80 ft tall. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. There were no known witnesses to the accident, but a witness who saw the airplane take off stated that its altitude was low during the initial climb. 

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. In the months before the accident, the pilot flew with a flight instructor on two separate occasions for a flight review. The instructor stated that the pilot’s skills were “very rusty” and that the pilot had difficulty controlling the airplane’s airspeed, pitch, and landing flare. The instructor did not endorse the pilot for a flight review and recommended that he receive additional dual instruction; however, it is unknown if the pilot followed this recommendation because his personal logbook was not located after the accident. Given the lack of preimpact mechanical anomalies, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain an appropriate climb rate after takeoff, which resulted in collision with the power line structure.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper climb rate after takeoff and the subsequent collision with transmission line structures.


Steven Douglas Kreuzburg 
April 15, 1939 – June 16, 2016 






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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Indianapolis, Indiana
Piper Aircraft; Vero Beach, Florida
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/N2412D

NTSB Identification: CEN16FA220 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 16, 2016 in Madison, IN
Aircraft: PIPER PA-38-112, registration: N2412D
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

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.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 16, 2016, at 1106 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-38-112, N2412D, collided with power lines and terrain shortly after takeoff from Madison Municipal Airport (IMS), Madison, Indiana. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was originating at the time of the accident.

An employee at the fixed base operator (FBO) reported that, before the airplane departed, she assisted the pilot with operating the self-serve fuel pump. She stated that she helped him swipe his credit card and remove the hose from the pump. She then went inside while he continued to fuel the airplane. She stated that she watched through the window as he took off and that the airplane appeared stable, but it was low as it passed by her field of vision. Shortly thereafter, FBO building momentarily lost power.

An individual who lived across from the accident site stated that he had just walked into his home and noted that the time was 1106. He then heard a loud impact and the lights flickered. He went outside to see what had happened and saw flames in the neighboring field. He ran toward the accident site to render assistance and the airplane's right wing was "sticking straight up," and the flames were about treetop height.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land that was issued in 1969. He also held an airframe and powerplant mechanic certificate. The pilot was issued a third-class Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate on July 22, 2015, with the limitation "not valid for any class after July 31, 2016." On the application for this medical certificate, the pilot reported a total flight time of 216 hours, with 0 hours in the previous 6 months. Pilot logbooks were not located during the investigation.

The pilot flew with a flight instructor on November 14, 2015, for the purpose of receiving a flight review. The instructor reported that the pilot was "very rusty" and he had difficulty with "pitch control, airspeed control, flaring on landing & maintaining directional control." The pilot did not pass the flight review. The instructor reported that he told the pilot that he needed additional dual instruction to pass the flight review. The instructor flew with the pilot again on March 14, 2016, and again would not endorse the pilot for a flight review because he felt the pilot needed additional instruction. A few weeks later, the pilot approached the CFI and he was upset that the instructor would not sign off on his flight review. He told the instructor he was going to fly anyway. A few days later, the pilot saw the instructor again and admitted that the instructor was right.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The aircraft and engine logbooks were not located during the investigation. According to the mechanic who last worked on the airplane, the most recent annual inspection was performed on February 6, 2016. The airplane had a total time of 4,920.2 hours at that time. The engine had a total time since major overhaul of 962.9 hours.

The airplane was fueled with 12.27 gallons of 100LL fuel just before the accident flight. The total amount of fuel onboard at takeoff was unknown.

METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

AIRPORT INFORMATION

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The accident site was located ½ mile south of the departure end of runway 21. The airplane came to rest in a field under two sets of power transmission lines that were about 55 ft apart. A transmission wire on the second set of lines was damaged, with only a few strands of wire holding it together. The support structures (towers) were about 80 ft tall; the wreckage was about 72 ft southwest of the closest tower. The top wooden structure on one of the H-tower supports was broken, and pieces of wood were scattered on the ground near the wreckage site.

The airplane was damaged by impact forces and a postimpact fire. The cockpit/cabin area was destroyed by the fire. The empennage sustained impact and thermal damage. The empennage was separated from the fuselage due to the fire, remaining attached only by the elevator and rudder control cables. The left elevator and horizontal stabilizer sustained impact damage, but were intact and remained attached to the empennage. The right horizontal stabilizer and elevator remained attached to the empennage. The outboard end of both surfaces was destroyed by the fire and impact forces.

The inboard section of the left wing was partially consumed by the fire, with a small inboard section of the flap still attached to the wing. The fuel cap remained in place. The outboard 3 ft of the wing and aileron, including the wingtip and aileron counterweight, were present.

The right wing was separated at the wing root and was inverted and lying on top of the cockpit/engine. The right aileron remained attached to the wing. The inboard fuel tank section of the wing sustained impact and fire damage; the fuel tank was breached and the fuel cap was secured. A portion of the flap remained attached to the wing and the inboard section of the flap was destroyed by fire. The wingtip was located about 30 ft from the main wreckage. The wingtip exhibited scrape marks that matched the color of the wooden H-tower structures.

Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit flight controls to the control surfaces.
The flap handle/rod assembly was separated from its mount. The pushrod assembly remained attached to the flap torque tube. The pin was in the middle detent position of the flap bracket, which correlated to 21° flap extension. This setting could not be verified by the position of the flaps.

The position of the fuel selector could not be determined due to thermal damage, which melted the inside of the fuel valve.

The engine was subjected to thermal damage but was intact with impact damage to the bottom exhaust stack.

The carburetor was secure on its mount. The inlet fuel line and carburetor airbox were destroyed by fire. The engine-driven fuel pump was secure on its mount; however, much of the pump was destroyed by fire. No fuel was present in either the carburetor or fuel pump.

The accessory section of the engine sustained impact and thermal damage. The magnetos were thermally damaged and could not be tested. The vacuum pump sustained fire damage and the coupling was melted.

All the rocker arms, valve springs, and connecting rods were in place. An attempt to rotate the engine by hand failed, so the accessory housing was removed. The engine was then free to rotate. Valve train continuity was established. Thumb suction and compression was verified on all cylinders.

The engine was equipped with Champion REM37BY spark plugs, which appeared to have normal wear signatures. The No. 2 cylinder bottom plug was oil-soaked.

The airplane was equipped with a Sensenich propeller, Model 72CK-0-56, serial number K8884. One of the propeller blades was straight with a ½-inch gouge in the leading edge located about 12 inches from the blade tip. The other blade was bent rearward about 50° starting at a point about 10 inches from the hub. The outboard 8 inches of the blade tip were bent forward. There was a gouge in the leading edge of the blade tip with a portion of the tip missing. The inside of the propeller hub sustained torsional impact damage.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy of the pilot was conducted at Kings Daughters Health, Madison, Indiana. The cause of death was attributed to multiple traumatic injuries sustained in the accident.

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed forensic toxicology on specimens from the pilot. The results were negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and tested-for drugs.


HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 16, 2016, at 1106 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-38-112, N2412D, collided with power lines and terrain shortly after takeoff from Madison Municipal Airport (IMS), Madison, Indiana. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was originating at the time of the accident.

An employee at the fixed base operator (FBO) reported that, before the airplane departed, she assisted the pilot with operating the self-serve fuel pump. She stated that she helped him swipe his credit card and remove the hose from the pump. She then went inside while he continued to fuel the airplane. She stated that she watched through the window as he took off and that the airplane appeared stable, but it was low as it passed by her field of vision. Shortly thereafter, FBO building momentarily lost power.
An individual who lived across from the accident site stated that he had just walked into his home and noted that the time was 1106. He then heard a loud impact and the lights flickered. He went outside to see what had happened and saw flames in the neighboring field. He ran toward the accident site to render assistance and the airplane's right wing was "sticking straight up," and the flames were about treetop height.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land that was issued in 1969. He also held an airframe and powerplant mechanic certificate. The pilot was issued a third-class Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate on July 22, 2015, with the limitation "not valid for any class after July 31, 2016." On the application for this medical certificate, the pilot reported a total flight time of 216 hours, with 0 hours in the previous 6 months. Pilot logbooks were not located during the investigation.

The pilot flew with a flight instructor on November 14, 2015, for the purpose of receiving a flight review. The instructor reported that the pilot was "very rusty" and he had difficulty with "pitch control, airspeed control, flaring on landing & maintaining directional control." The pilot did not pass the flight review. The instructor reported that he told the pilot that he needed additional dual instruction to pass the flight review. The instructor flew with the pilot again on March 14, 2016, and again would not endorse the pilot for a flight review because he felt the pilot needed additional instruction. A few weeks later, the pilot approached the CFI and he was upset that the instructor would not sign off on his flight review. He told the instructor he was going to fly anyway. A few days later, the pilot saw the instructor again and admitted that the instructor was right.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The aircraft and engine logbooks were not located during the investigation. According to the mechanic who last worked on the airplane, the most recent annual inspection was performed on February 6, 2016. The airplane had a total time of 4,920.2 hours at that time. The engine had a total time since major overhaul of 962.9 hours.

The airplane was fueled with 12.27 gallons of 100LL fuel just before the accident flight. The total amount of fuel onboard at takeoff was unknown.

METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

AIRPORT INFORMATION

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The accident site was located ½ mile south of the departure end of runway 21. The airplane came to rest in a field under two sets of power transmission lines that were about 55 ft apart. A transmission wire on the second set of lines was damaged, with only a few strands of wire holding it together. The support structures (towers) were about 80 ft tall; the wreckage was about 72 ft southwest of the closest tower. The top wooden structure on one of the H-tower supports was broken, and pieces of wood were scattered on the ground near the wreckage site.

The airplane was damaged by impact forces and a postimpact fire. The cockpit/cabin area was destroyed by the fire. The empennage sustained impact and thermal damage. The empennage was separated from the fuselage due to the fire, remaining attached only by the elevator and rudder control cables. The left elevator and horizontal stabilizer sustained impact damage, but were intact and remained attached to the empennage. The right horizontal stabilizer and elevator remained attached to the empennage. The outboard end of both surfaces was destroyed by the fire and impact forces.

The inboard section of the left wing was partially consumed by the fire, with a small inboard section of the flap still attached to the wing. The fuel cap remained in place. The outboard 3 ft of the wing and aileron, including the wingtip and aileron counterweight, were present.

The right wing was separated at the wing root and was inverted and lying on top of the cockpit/engine. The right aileron remained attached to the wing. The inboard fuel tank section of the wing sustained impact and fire damage; the fuel tank was breached and the fuel cap was secured. A portion of the flap remained attached to the wing and the inboard section of the flap was destroyed by fire. The wingtip was located about 30 ft from the main wreckage. The wingtip exhibited scrape marks that matched the color of the wooden H-tower structures.

Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit flight controls to the control surfaces.
The flap handle/rod assembly was separated from its mount. The pushrod assembly remained attached to the flap torque tube. The pin was in the middle detent position of the flap bracket, which correlated to 21° flap extension. This setting could not be verified by the position of the flaps.

The position of the fuel selector could not be determined due to thermal damage, which melted the inside of the fuel valve.

The engine was subjected to thermal damage but was intact with impact damage to the bottom exhaust stack.

The carburetor was secure on its mount. The inlet fuel line and carburetor airbox were destroyed by fire. The engine-driven fuel pump was secure on its mount; however, much of the pump was destroyed by fire. No fuel was present in either the carburetor or fuel pump.

The accessory section of the engine sustained impact and thermal damage. The magnetos were thermally damaged and could not be tested. The vacuum pump sustained fire damage and the coupling was melted.

All the rocker arms, valve springs, and connecting rods were in place. An attempt to rotate the engine by hand failed, so the accessory housing was removed. The engine was then free to rotate. Valve train continuity was established. Thumb suction and compression was verified on all cylinders.

The engine was equipped with Champion REM37BY spark plugs, which appeared to have normal wear signatures. The No. 2 cylinder bottom plug was oil-soaked.

The airplane was equipped with a Sensenich propeller, Model 72CK-0-56, serial number K8884. One of the propeller blades was straight with a ½-inch gouge in the leading edge located about 12 inches from the blade tip. The other blade was bent rearward about 50° starting at a point about 10 inches from the hub. The outboard 8 inches of the blade tip were bent forward. There was a gouge in the leading edge of the blade tip with a portion of the tip missing. The inside of the propeller hub sustained torsional impact damage.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy of the pilot was conducted at Kings Daughters Health, Madison, Indiana. The cause of death was attributed to multiple traumatic injuries sustained in the accident.

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed forensic toxicology on specimens from the pilot. The results were negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and tested-for drugs.


BRIEF
The private pilot had departed the airport in visual meteorological conditions, when, about ½ mile from the departure end of the runway, the airplane collided with a power transmission line support structure that was about 80 ft tall. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. There were no known witnesses to the accident, but a witness who saw the airplane take off stated that its altitude was low during the initial climb. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
In the months before the accident, the pilot flew with a flight instructor on two separate occasions for a flight review. The instructor stated that the pilot's skills were "very rusty" and that the pilot had difficulty controlling the airplane's airspeed, pitch, and landing flare. The instructor did not endorse the pilot for a flight review, and recommended that he receive additional dual instruction; however, it is unknown if the pilot followed this recommendation as his personal logbook was not located after the accident. Given the lack of preimpact mechanical anomalies, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain an appropriate rate of climb after takeoff, which resulted in collision with the powerline structure.

PC
The pilot's failure to maintain a proper climb rate after takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a power transmission line structure.



NTSB Identification: CEN16FA220
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 16, 2016 in Madison, IN
Aircraft: PIPER PA 38-112, registration: N2412D
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 June 16, 2016, at 1106 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-38-112, N2412D, collided with powerlines and the terrain following a loss of control shortly after takeoff from the Madison Municipal Airport (IMS), Madison, Indiana. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post impact fire. The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and no flight plan was filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. 

The airplane came to rest in a field ½ mile south of the departure end of runway 21. The wreckage was located under two sets of Duke Energy transmission lines that were about 55 feet apart. The top wooden structure on one of the H-towers was broken and pieces of wood were scattered on the ground near the accident site. A transmission wire on the second set of lines was broken with only a few strands of wire holding the wire intact. The towers were about 80 feet tall. The wreckage was located about 72 feet from the closest tower.




Steven Douglas Kreuzburg
April 15, 1939 - June 16, 2016

Mr. Steven Douglas Kreuzburg, age 77, of Madison, Indiana grew up in Baltimore, MD, graduating from Milford Mills High School in Pikesville, MD. He attended Georgia Tech (aeronautical engineering); entered the USAF Aviation Cadet Reserves (‘60-61); graduated from PACE University. Steve provided systems design and development to early adopters of computer technology in the late ‘60s (Readers’ Digest, RCA, etc.) and continued in the technology world focused on the telecom industry. Later in his career, Steve shifted to aviation, working for airline legends Pan American World Airways and Trans World Airlines. In between, Steve drove limos and trucks, co-founded a computer/telephony company, sold synthetic oil, and was a census-taker and E911 Field Checker. He enjoyed many sports, especially tennis, skiing, rock-climbing, mountaineering and paddling, and was an avid aviation enthusiast holding Airframe & Powerplant Certificates and Private Pilot License. Steve enjoyed web site design and created a site to coincide with the Hanover College Duggan Library’s Captain Cook exhibit. He volunteered with the American Red Cross (including after Sept. 11 and hurricane Ivan), and was a volunteer water tester with the Muscatatuck Watershed project. Steven died on Thursday, June 16, 2016, at 1:30 p.m. in an airplane crash near Madison, Indiana. 

A LOVING FAMILY 
Steven will be missed by his loving wife, Kim Childs Kreuzburg of Madison, Indiana; his sons, Greg Kreuzburg and Todd Kreuzburg; his siblings, Sandy Rommel, Jimmy, Don, Ken and Janice Kreuzburg; his grandsons, Matt and Dave; his niece and grandniece, Jennifer and Haley Mettrick. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey and Betty Weigle Kreuzburg, and his brother, Wil Kreuzburg. 

MEMORIAL CEREMONY
Cremation was chosen and other arrangements are undecided at this time.

MEMORIAL EXPRESSIONS 
Memorial contributions may be made to the donor's Choice or the Madison Jefferson County Public Library. Cards are available at the funeral home.

MADISON, Ind. (WHAS11) – The pilot who was killed in a plane crash in Madison has been identified.

Steven Douglas Kreuzburg, 76, was identified through dental records. He died of a traumatic spinal injury consistent with a plane crash.

The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, leaving the small community mourning.

Jefferson County Indiana Sheriff John Wallace said, “Any loss of life is tragic and we worship all life and it is tough on the community, absolutely."

Indiana authorities said a small engine plane crashed less than a mile from the Madison Municipal Airport. They said it clipped high voltage power lines, and then hit the ground, bursting into flames.

It is not clear what caused the crash, but officials said getting those answers is a top priority.


NTSB and FAA officials are expected on scene Thursday night and Friday morning to continue the investigation.




MADISON, Ind. (WHAS11) -- Indiana authorities are investigating after a fiery plane crash that left one dead near Madison.

The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, leaving the small community mourning.

Jefferson County Indiana Sheriff John Wallace said, “Any loss of life is tragic and we worship all life and it is tough on the community, absolutely."

Indiana authorities said a small engine plane crashed less than a mile from the Madison Municipal Airport. They said it clipped high voltage power lines, and then hit the ground, bursting into flames. The pilot, who has not yet been identified, was pronounced dead on the scene.

"It’s always tough when you speak with family members of someone who has died in a tragic accident or in any other way for that manner,” Wallace said.

WHAS11 was there when the sheriff delivered the difficult news to a woman who approached the scene, claiming the pilot was her husband.

The scene was deemed dangerous for hours as electrical teams worked to secure the power lines and neighbors left home with their pets as a safety precaution.

"We'll do a thorough investigation through the coroner's office and through the NTSB and hopefully get all the answers we can for them. That’s not much anytime someone loses their life, but it’s the best we can do,” Wallace said.

Officials said getting those answers is a top priority.

NTSB and FAA officials are expected on scene Thursday night and Friday morning to continue the investigation.

Story and video:  http://www.whas11.com




MADISON, IN (WAVE) - One man is dead after his small plane crashed and burned in Madison, Indiana.

Air 3 captured images of the plane, a Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk, on the ground and smoking just before noon on Thursday.

The small aircraft struck a wood beam and high-voltage power line after departure from the Madison Municipal Airport and crashed.

Jefferson County, Indiana Sheriff John Wallace said the crash happened at 11:20 a.m. The single engine plane burst into flames.

The name of the pilot has not been released. A woman came to the scene and told a sheriff's deputy that the pilot was her husband. 

Duke Energy crews were at the scene to assist authorities with the crash investigation. 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash.

Story and video:  http://www.fox19.com




LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in Indiana says one person has died after a small plane crashed near the Madison Municipal Airport.

According to Jefferson County Sheriff John Wallace, the crash took place just after 11 a.m., near Grange Hall Road and Chicken Run Road. Wallace said a single-engine, fixed-wing aircraft struck a wooden frame and then power lines near the airport, and that emergency responders had to wait for representatives of Duke Energy to arrive to secure the area before they could approach the plane.

"He had just taken off from the Madison Municipal Airport, which is just three quarters of a mile from the scene of the crash," Wallace said. "The plane was on fire when we arrived – and with the high-voltage power lines in play, we had to obviously play it safe for our first responders. Once we secure that area, we will be able to do an additional investigation to find out more."

Shortly after the plane crashed, a woman showed up at the scene, saying she believed the pilot who was killed was her husband, but his identity has not been released.

Late Thursday, the FAA and NTSB arrived on site to further investigate and determine what went wrong. 

The road is expected to be closed through Friday morning. 

Story and video:  http://www.wdrb.com