Thursday, October 19, 2017

Birdstrike: Lancair Legacy 2000, N259L; fatal accident occurred October 19, 2017 in Bowie, Cochise County, Arizona


Bird Observations: https://ebird.org

N259L data plate.

Right wing (upper surface).

Left wing (upper surface).

Aileron and elevator controls from fuselage.

Canopy pieces.

Canopy latches. 

Empennage

Engine data plate.

Engine

Cylinders (external) and spark plugs.

Propeller blades.

Fuel system design.

Fuel system.

 Radar plot of N259L’s flight path from the first radar target to last radar target.

Radar plot of N259L’s flight path from the first radar target to last radar target. Flight data for each 10-minute interval are indicated in the specific information box.

 Radar plot of N259L’s flight path for the last one minute of flight. Flight data is indicated in the specific information box. 

Intended flight.

Accident flight.

Accident flight plan.

Wreckage in relation to intended flight.

Debris field.

Main wreckage (reference tree).

Main wreckage (referencing orientation of wings).

Main wreckage (referencing left side).

Main wreckage (referencing right side).

Canopy debris map.

Canopy debris map.

Garmin 796 recovered from aircraft.

Garmin 796 recovered from aircraft.


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

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona
Textron Lycoming; 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/N259L


Location: Bowie, AZ
Accident Number: WPR18FA011
Date & Time: 10/19/2017, 0834 MST
Registration: N259L
Aircraft: Peterson Lancair Legacy
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Birdstrike
Injuries:1 Fatal 
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On October 19, 2017, at 0834 mountain standard time, a Peterson Lancair Legacy 2000, N259L, departed controlled flight and collided with desert terrain near Bowie, Arizona. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot, who built the airplane, was operating the airplane as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight departed from Eagle Roost Airpark, Aguila, Arizona, about 0810 with a planned destination of Garner Field, Uvalde, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

The pilot had planned to fly the airplane from its base in Aguila to Uvalde, about 745 nautical miles (nm) to the southeast to attend a fly-in. A flight plan outlining the pilot's intended route of flight was found in the wreckage. The flight plan showed that the pilot planned to depart at 0810 and reach the Buckeye VORTAC at 0839 and the San Simon VORTAC located about 210 nm southeast of the Buckeye VORTAC.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radar data revealed that the airplane flew southeast at a cruising altitude of about 10,000 ft mean sea level (msl). The last nine radar returns occurred between 0833:16 to 0834:13. During that time, the airplane's altitude decreased from 9,850 to 7,550 ft msl. The last radar return was located about 100 ft east of the accident location (see figure 1). The airplane wreckage was located about 17 nm northwest of the San Simon VORTAC.


Figure 1. Last radar returns for the accident flight.


A witness who was in his front yard, located 0.8 nm south-southeast of the accident site, heard the airplane flying overhead. He then observed the airplane circling toward the ground, similar to an air show airplane maneuver. He reported that the sound emanating from the airplane was cutting in and out, as if the engine was sputtering, but he stated that the sound of the engine's rotation could have been echoing from the hills.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was located in unpopulated desert terrain at an elevation of about 3,860 ft msl. The debris path at the accident site stretched more than 120 ft along a heading of about 155°.

The left-and right-wing pieces were accounted for at the accident site. Both wings sustained crush deformation, with the leading-edge skin found forward in the debris field and not attached to the main wing section. The fuel caps and their respective flanges were found forward of their respective wings, consistent with fuel inside the wing forcing the cap outward during impact.

The canopy was found within the debris field and was fragmented into multiple sections. The latching mechanisms for both the left and right sides were consistent with the canopy being latched at the time of impact.

Control surface continuity could not be established due to the severe fragmentation of the flight control surfaces and their linkages to the cockpit controls.

The engine had sustained impact damage. The crankshaft could not be rotated despite several attempts to do so. The top spark plugs were removed, revealing a light gray coloration, which was consistent with normal operation. The cylinders were examined through the spark plug holes, revealing that the combustion chambers were mechanically undamaged and that there was no evidence of foreign object ingestion or detonation. The valves were intact and undamaged. There was no evidence of valve-to-piston face contact. The gas path and combustion signatures observed at the spark plugs, combustion chambers and exhaust system components displayed coloration that was consistent with normal operation.

One propeller blade was visible at the accident site and was found relatively straight with no evidence of twisting. The other blade was buried under the engine and had separated with the tip oriented toward the firewall and the hub near the propeller spinner. This blade was twisted at the tip and contained a 4-inch gouge where a portion of the outboard leading-edge piece had become separated; the piece was found buried near the remainder of the blade.

The fuel selector was found with the handle pointing to the left tank position. The position of the fuel selector valve was in the left position. The selector was found in several pieces. The fuel filter was partially disassembled, and the screen was found to be clean. The fuel servo was disassembled and found to contain liquid that had a smell similar to AVGAS, the diaphragms were pliable, and the valve was intact. The transducer was disassembled, and, when air was forced through the inlet, the internal wheel could be heard rotating. Removal of the fuel manifold (spider) revealed no evidence of liquid, the diaphragm was pliable, and the spring was intact.

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine found no evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy of the pilot was performed by the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner, Tucson, Arizona. The pilot's cause of death was blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for ethanol and all tested drugs.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Numerous pieces of windscreen and airplane were sent to the Smithsonian Institution's Feather Identification Lab for examination. DNA analysis was conducted on eight samples of various windscreen pieces. None of the samples contained avian DNA. A microscopic examination was conducted on all of the pieces, and a total of 38 microslides were prepared from the material. Six of these microslides contained bird feather fragments. The feather material consisted of two pennaceous feather parts and four downy feather parts. None of the feather fragments were attributed to a specific bird species or group, but numerous birds could be excluded based on the microscopic structures found in the samples, including ducks, doves, and perching birds.

The Audubon Society chapter closest to the accident location stated that it would be possible to see sandhill cranes or raptors, such as Swainson's hawks, in the area where the accident occurred. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 68, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Unknown
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 09/05/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  3500 hours (Total, all aircraft), 184 hours (Total, this make and model) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Peterson Lancair
Registration: N259L
Model/Series: Legacy 2000
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2005
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: L2K-180
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 07/05/2017, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 399 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-C1D6
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 200 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: KSAD, 3176 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 29 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1551 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 353°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 8 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 150°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 7°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: AGUILA, AZ (27AZ)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Destination: UVALDE, TX (UVA)
Type of Clearance: Unknown
Departure Time:0710 MST 
Type of Airspace:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 32.368611, -109.566111 (est)

NTSB Identification: WPR18FA011
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, October 19, 2017 in Bowie, AZ
Aircraft: Peterson Lancair Legacy, registration: N259L
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 19, 2017, about 0830 mountain standard time, a Peterson Lancair Legacy 2000, N259L, departed controlled flight and collided with desert terrain near Bowie, Arizona. The pilot/builder was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was substantially damaged. The personal cross-country flight departed from Eagle Roost Airpark, Aguila, Arizona about 0710 with a planned destination of Garner Field, Uvalde, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and it is not known if the pilot had filed a flight plan.

The airplane was based in Aguila and the pilot had planned to attend a fly-in over the weekend in Uvalde, about 745 nm southeast. The pilot had registered for the event a few weeks before the accident and located in the wreckage was a flight plan outlining the intended flight to Uvalde. The flight plan showed that the pilot departed at 0710 and had reached his next planned checkpoint of Buckeye VORTAC at 0739; the next listed checkpoint was San Simon VORTAC.

A witness observed the airplane flying along the ridgeline of the Fisher Hills and begin a series of erratic maneuvers, subsequently diving toward the terrain. The wreckage was located about 17 nm northwest of San Simon VORTAC at an elevation of about 3,860 feet msl. The accident site was located in sparsely populated desert terrain, with the debris stretching over 120 feet with the energy path oriented on a heading of about 155o. In character, the terrain was comprised of dirt and rocks, populated by scattered brush and cactus typical of the southern Arizona region.

The wreckage was transported to a recovery facility for further examination.



Michael L. Peterson 
November 29, 1948 - October 19, 2017

Michael L. Peterson of Cle Elum, Washington died October 19, 2017 at the age of 68. Arrangements are currently pending.

BOWIE — A Maricopa County man perished in the crash of a single engine plane Oct. 19, north of Bowie.

Michael L. Peterson, 68, of Aguila, was reportedly en route to an event in Texas when the crash occurred, said Carol Capas, spokeswoman for the Cochise County Sheriff's Office.

The National Transportation Safety Board had a recovery crew remove the wreckage at about 4 p.m. Friday. Both the NTSB and FAA will continue the investigation, Capas said. Cause of the crash has not yet been released.

The Flight Safety Foundation website, www.flightsafety.org., described the plane Peterson was flying as an “experimental Peterson-built Legacy 2000.” The plane "experienced an apparent stall/spin and subsequent impact with desert terrain,” and sustained “substantial damage,” the website stated, also reporting that its sole occupant — the pilot — had been fatally injured.

Louise Walden, with Walden Aviation, who manages the Cochise County Airport in Willcox, told the Range News the plane had been flying from California to Texas when it crashed. It had taken off from the Gila Bend Airport that morning.

The Sheriff's Office received the call at 9:23 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, about the crash north of I-10, near milepost 355. The caller reported seeing the plane one minute; the next, it was gone.

Using the Sheriff’s Office’s Geronimo helicopter, deputies located the downed aircraft in a remote part of Bowie, inaccessible by anything other than a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

It’s the second fatal plane crash in southeastern Arizona in the past two months. On Sept. 5, an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet crashed near Fort Thomas, killing its pilot.

The pilot was a member of the Iraqi Air Force, training with the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing in Tucson.

A similar training exercise became fatal in 2015, when an Iraqi pilot, also training with the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing, crashed near Douglas.

Original article ➤  http://www.eacourier.com


WILLCOX, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -  The pilot of a small airplane that died last week after crashing into the desert in southern Arizona has been identified.

Authorities with the Cochise County Sheriff's Department said the pilot, 68-yer-old Michael Peterson, was the only person in the plane when it crashed.

The single engine aircraft he was flying, a homebuilt Lancair Legacy 2000, crashed Thursday in a remote desert area north of Interstate 10, near mile post 155, between the towns of Willcox and Bowie.

Authorities said Peterson was heading from California to Texas when the plane went down about 8:20 a.m.

Peterson had left that morning from Eagle Roost Airpark in Aguila and was heading to Garner Field Airport in Uvalde, Texas.

The crash is under investigation by the National Transportation and Safety Board as well as the Federal Avaition Administration. 

It’s the second fatal plane crash in southeastern Arizona in the past two months. On Sept. 5, an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet crashed near Fort Thomas, killing its pilot.

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

WILLCOX, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) - A pilot of a small plane died in a crash near Willcox Thursday.

According to the Cochise County Sheriff's Office, the pilot was the only person known to be onboard.

A nearby rancher who saw the crash says, "I saw the plane and it didn't sound right. I looked up to the mountain and it was going in circles." 

The crash was north of Interstate 10 near milepost 355, between Bowie and Willcox.

KGUN9 spoke with a man who heard the plane crash and quickly sprung into action.

Officials with Cochise County say National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration have taken over the investigation and should arrive at the scene on Friday.

Story, video and photo gallery ➤ http://www.kgun9.com

Grob G-120TP-A, N192TP, CAE USA: Incident occurred October 18, 2017 at Dothan Regional Airport (KDHN), Midland City, Dale County, Alabama



Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Birmingham, Alabama

Aircraft landed gear up.

CAE USA:  http://registry.faa.gov/N192TP

Date: 18-OCT-17
Time: 21:03:00Z
Regis#: N192TP
Aircraft Make: GROB
Aircraft Model: G120
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: UNKNOWN
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: DOTHAN
State: ALABAMA

Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP, N727SP, Christiansen Aviation Inc: Incident occurred October 18, 2017 at Spirit of St. Louis Airport (KSUS), Chesterfield, St. Louis County, Missouri



Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; St. Louis, Missouri

Aircraft on landing, went off the runway and struck the propeller.

Christiansen Aviation Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N727SP

Date: 18-OCT-17
Time: 20:06:00Z
Regis#: N727SP
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: C172
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: INSTRUCTION
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: SAINT LOUIS
State: MISSOURI 

CHESTERFIELD • A small airplane came to a rough landing and veered off the runway Wednesday afternoon at Spirit of St. Louis Airport.

Only the pilot was in the plane, a four-seat Cessna 172, at the time. 

The pilot was not injured in the landing, according to Dave Schubert, deputy director of aviation at the airport. 

The Monarch Fire Protection District responded to the incident at about 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The propeller was badly damaged and likely struck the ground in the landing, Schubert said. He called it a "hard landing," or when a plane lands with more force than intended but the pilot still has some control of the aircraft.

"It definitely is unusual," Schubert said of the landing. "But it is something that unfortunately happens from time to time."

The cause of the landing is still under investigation, Schubert said.

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

Cessna 150J, registered to an individual and was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight, N50609: Accident occurred October 18, 2017 near Willmar Municipal Airport (KBDH), Kandiyohi County, Minnesota

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel 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/N50609


Location: Willmar, MN
Accident Number: CEN18LA015
Date & Time: 10/18/2017, 1045 CDT
Registration: N50609
Aircraft: CESSNA 150J
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional 

On October 18, 2017, at 1045 central daylight time, a Cessna 150J airplane, N50609, nosed over during a forced landing in Willmar, Minnesota. The flight instructor received minor injuries and the private pilot was not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The airplane was registered to an individual and was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional 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 had departed from the Willmar Municipal Airport (BDH), at the time of the accident.

The purpose of the flight was a flight review for the private pilot. The flight instructor stated they checked the magnetos and carburetor heat during the engine runup, at 1,500 rpm, and both functioned normally. They initiated the takeoff on runway 21 (2,980 ft long, turf) which they stated was damp and soft from recent rain. The private pilot initiated the takeoff and stated that the airplane seemed slow to accelerate. The flight instructor reported he felt the nose "dive" a couple times, so he instructed the private pilot to increase back pressure and get the airplane in ground effect because of the soft runway. The private pilot stated the flight instructor took control of the airplane and lifted it off the runway. The airplane became airborne about 2,000 ft down the 3,000 ft long runway. The flight instructor stated he lowered the nose in ground effect to gain airspeed, but the airplane did not accelerate, and it was nearing an aerodynamic stall.

The flight instructor stated there was a road and a field on which to land. He turned the airplane, but had to level off because he was concerned the airplane was going to stall. He stated that during the forced landing in a plowed field, he flared too high, and the airplane contacted the terrain hard on the main gear. The nose gear dug into the soft terrain, collapsed and the airplane then nosed over.

The flight instructor did not notice the tachometer, but he reported that the private pilot stated the rpm never increased above 1,900.

A postaccident examination and test run of the engine was conducted. The engine started without hesitation on the first attempt. The engine ran smoothly at various power settings and ultimately at full throttle which produced 2,764 rpm. 

Flight Instructor Information

Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 41, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present:
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 11/16/2016
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/02/2015
Flight Time: 6300 hours (Total, all aircraft), 150 hours (Total, this make and model), 6100 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 50 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 15 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 62, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Lap Only
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present:
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/04/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 11/14/2015
Flight Time:  883 hours (Total, all aircraft), 10 hours (Total, this make and model), 843 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 8 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Registration: N50609
Model/Series: 150J
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1968
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 15069430
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/21/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1601 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3635.43 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: CONT MOTOR
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: O-200-A
Registered Owner: ASCHE TODD MICHAEL
Rated Power: 100 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: BDH, 1125 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1055 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 30°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 8 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 300°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.83 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 17°C / 8°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Willmar, MN (BDH)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Willmar, MN (BDH)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time:1045 CDT 
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: Willmar Municipal Airport (BDH)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 1125 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Wet
Runway Used: 21
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 2980 ft / 250 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None

Latitude, Longitude:  45.110000, -95.129444 (est)

NTSB Identification: CEN18LA015
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, October 18, 2017 in Willmar, MN
Aircraft: CESSNA 150J, registration: N50609
Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.

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 18, 2017, at 1045 central daylight time, a Cessna 150J airplane, N50609, nosed over during a forced landing in Willmar, Minnesota. The certified flight instructor received minor injuries and the private pilot was not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The airplane was registered to an individual and was operated by the CFI as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional 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 Willmar Municipal Airport (BDH), just prior to the accident.

The instructor stated they checked the magnetos and carburetor heat during the engine runup, at 1,500 rpm, and both functioned normally. They initiated the takeoff on the grass runway which was soggy due to rain. He took control of the airplane during the takeoff and lifted the nose off the ground because they were getting "bogged down" in the soft terrain. The airplane became airborne about 2,000 ft down the 3,000 ft long runway. The instructor stated he lowered the nose in ground effect to gain airspeed, but the airplane did not accelerate.

The instructor stated there was a road and a field on which to land. He turned the airplane, but had to level off because he was concerned the airplane was going to stall. He stated that during the landing in the plowed field, he flared too high and the contacted the terrain hard on the main gear. The nose gear dug into the soft terrain and collapsed when it settled to the ground. The airplane then nosed over.

The instructor did not notice the tachometer, but he reported that the private pilot stated the rpm never increased above 1,900.










WILLMAR — Eric Rudningen, who was one of two individuals in a plane crash Wednesday morning, said he is just fine after suffering minor injuries.

Rudningen, of Kerkhoven, said in a voice mail Friday morning that he is unable to comment further on the incident while the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board conduct their investigations.

According to the FAA preliminary report, the C150 Cessna made a forced landing in a soybean field along 75th Street Southwest, just southwest of the Willmar Municipal Airport. The other individual in the plane has not been identified, but was not injured, the report said.

The plane, owned by Todd Michael Asche of Spicer, suffered substantial damage, according to the FAA report.

As of late Friday morning, the plane was still lying upside down in the field where it crashed.

Rudningen, along with his partner Paul Beck, are the fixed-base operators at the Willmar Airport and owners of Oasis Aero. Rudningen is a certified commercial pilot, flight instructor and mechanic.


Asche is a certified private pilot.

Story and photo ➤ http://www.wctrib.com




(Willmar MN-) One man was slightly injured when a small plane crashed in a field near the Willmar Airport Wednesday morning. 

Eric Rudningen was doing a flight check with a fellow pilot when the Cessna 150 reportedly lost power and crashed in a soybean field about an eighth-of-a-mile east of County Road 116 and flipped onto it's top. 

The crash site is just east of the Willmar Wastewater Treatment Plant, and southwest of the Willmar Airport.

Rudningen, of Kerkhoven, works for the airport's fixed base operator Oasis Aero Inc, and his partner Paul Beck took him to Rice Memorial Hospital to be checked out for a bump on his head. The other pilot was not injured. Beck says the plane will remain in the field while the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board investigate. The crash happened at approximately 11 a.m.

Story and photo gallery ➤ http://www.willmarradio.com