Sunday, December 03, 2017

Pusher aviator felt pull of adventure: Pilot died when his ‘tractor flying machine’ crashed

Pioneering aviator Silas Christofferson in a 1911 photo.



By today’s standards, Silas Christofferson’s flight 105 years ago from Portland to Vancouver could be described as brief but spectacular.

That, unfortunately, is a pretty good description of Christofferson’s life.

We recently caught up with a team of volunteers that is building a full-scale replica of the aircraft that Christofferson flew from the roof of the Multnomah Hotel on June 11, 1912.

That aircraft was a 1912 Curtiss Pusher. It took its name from designer Glenn Curtiss and the rear-facing engine, mounted behind the pilot.

Christofferson’s flight took 12 minutes. It ended when he landed on the polo grounds at Vancouver Barracks.

Christofferson made his final flight four years later, when he was in his mid-20s. He was killed on Oct. 31, 1916 when he lost control of a new plane he was flying and crashed.

The Columbian had a front-page story, datelined Redwood City, Calif.

Piloting a tractor

“Silas Christofferson, auto racer and aviator, was killed today at this place by a 100-foot fall of his big military tractor flying machine. Mr. Christofferson was well known here in Vancouver where he located one summer trying out various flying machines. He also married a former Vancouver girl. ”

Today’s reader might trip over some of that word: tractor flying machine.

“Tractor” referred to an advance in aviation technology, said Bob Cromwell, manager of Pearson Air Museum. It’s the opposite of “pusher.”

In a tractor aircraft, the engine is in the front and the propeller “pulls the aircraft like a tractor pulls a plow,” Cromwell said. “A pusher pushes.”

That transition reflected a lot of changing technologies in that era.

“It was all about experimentation,” Cromwell said. “There was a lot of debate whether it was safer to operate with or without seat belts.”

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

Loss of Control in Flight: Titan Tornado II D, N2200T; fatal accident occurred December 03, 2017 near Portage County Regional Airport (KPOV), Shalersville Township, Ohio

Steve Paulus

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


Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cleveland FSDO; North Olmsted, Ohio

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


http://registry.faa.gov/N2200T


Location: Ravenna, OH
Accident Number: CEN18FA045
Date & Time: 12/03/2017, 1140 EST
Registration: N2200T
Aircraft: PIPER TITAN TORNADO II D
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis 

The sport pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane was returning to the airport after a 30-minute flight. A witness saw the airplane on final approach to the runway about 500 ft above ground level when he heard a total loss of engine power. The airplane banked left and right and entered a nose-down descent consistent with an aerodynamic stall condition. The airplane impacted terrain short of the runway.

Although the witness, an acquaintance of the accident pilot, estimated that the pilot had accrued about 10 hours of flight time in the airplane since purchasing it about 1 year prior, the pilot's logbook was not located during the investigation, and his experience level in the accident airplane could not be determined. Additionally, it could not be determined if the pilot had obtained transition training in the accident airplane, which was classified as a low-inertia/high-drag airplane. Low-inertia/high-drag airplanes rapidly lose energy (airspeed and/or altitude) when there is a loss or reduction of power, and are particularly susceptible to unintentional aerodynamic stalls due to their low cruise speed to stall speed margin and their tendency to experience significant airspeed decay with increased load factor (such as during a turn).

Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; therefore, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. It is likely that the pilot failed to attain a proper airspeed following the loss of engine power, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall, and impact with terrain. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed following a loss of engine power during final approach for landing, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.

Findings

Aircraft
Angle of attack - Attain/maintain not possible (Cause)
Airspeed - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Approach-VFR pattern final
Loss of engine power (total)
Loss of control in flight (Defining event)

Uncontrolled descent
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

On December 3, 2017, at 1140 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Titan Tornado II D, N2200T, impacted terrain while on final approach for landing at Portage County Airport (POV), Ravenna, Ohio. The sport pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The airplane was owned by the pilot who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed from POV about 1110.

The only witness to the accident stated that the pilot stopped by the witness's hangar before the accident flight and said that it was a beautiful day to go flying. The witness saw the airplane take off from runway 27 and described the takeoff as "Learjet style," meaning that the airplane had a high rate of climb. The airplane proceeded south until it disappeared from his view. The witness subsequently saw the accident airplane on final approach for runway 27 about 30 minutes later. While on final approach, the airplane was "coming down normally and regularly" before he heard the engine noise "suddenly stop" and the engine went "silent." About 10 seconds later and about 1 mile from the approach end of runway 27, the airplane started "acting erratically." The airplane banked right, then banked immediately left, and then banked right before descending from about 500 ft above ground level into the ground. The witness stated that the airplane "didn't go straight down," but it was a "steep" descent.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Sport Pilot
Age: 60, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Sport Pilot Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:

The pilot held a sport pilot certificate. He also held repairman-experimental aircraft builder and repairman-light sport aircraft certificates. The pilot's logbook was not available for review. The pilot did not hold an FAA airman medical certificate, nor was he required to as a sport pilot.

Aircraft registration records showed that the pilot purchased the airplane on September 10, 2016.The witness estimated that the pilot had accumulated about 10 hours in the airplane since purchasing it.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N2200T
Model/Series: TITAN TORNADO II D
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2017
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: 002
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/06/2017, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection: 0 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:  as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Jabiru
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: 2200
Registered Owner: Individual
Rated Power: 85 hp
Operator: Pilot
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: POV, 1198 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1133 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 270°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 270°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.22 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 6°C / 0°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Ravenna, OH (POV)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Ravenna, OH (POV)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1110 EST
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: Portage County Airport (POV)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 1198 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 27
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3499 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 41.208611, -81.228333 (est) 

The wreckage was located behind a house about 0.8 mile east of runway 27. The area surrounding the wreckage displayed ground scarring consistent with the dimensions of the airplane. The airplane was oriented in a nose-down attitude. The wings, elevators, and rudder and their respective controls surfaces were attached and secure. The propeller was attached and secure to the engine, which remained attached to the airframe. Neither of the two propeller blades displayed damage. There was no evidence of fire or sooting. The instrument panel was destroyed by impact forces.

Flight control continuity was established from the flight control surfaces to the cockpit controls. Engine control continuity from the cockpit controls to the engine was confirmed.

The 15-gallon fuel tank contained an estimated 1 gallon of liquid consistent with fuel. The fuel did not exhibit contamination. The fuel valves from the fuel tank to the engine were in the open position.

The airplane was equipped with an Adventure Pilot iFly 720 multi-function display and GPS unit with removable SD card; a MGL RDAC XB module that was designed to interface thermocouples and other engine monitoring sensors, which was connected to an Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS); and a MGL XL (non-Stratomaster model) EFIS. These units were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Recorders Laboratory for download of non-volatile memory. The last data log retrieved from the Adventure Pilot iFly 720 had a timestamp from October 21, 2017, about 2.5 months before the accident flight. The MGL RDAC XB and MGL XL units did not record data.

The engine, a Jabiru model 2200 (serial number 22A3748), was removed and shipped to Arion Aircraft, Shelbyville, Tennessee, for an engine run under the supervision of an FAA inspector. The inspector stated that the engine started and ran smoothly for about 5 to 10 minutes before the test was discontinued. 

Medical And Pathological Information

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office, Cleveland, Ohio, performed an autopsy of the pilot. The medical examiner reported the cause of death as blunt impact injuries.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified Losartan in liver. Testing was negative for ethanol and carbon monoxide.

Losartan is a prescription medication used primarily for the treatment of high blood pressure. It may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents. It is not considered to be impairing.

Tests And Research

Advisory Circular (AC) 90-109A, Transition to Unfamiliar Aircraft, discusses training and risk mitigation in flying various families of airplanes.

According to a table found in Appendix 2 of the AC, the Titan Tornado II was categorized as a low-inertia and/or high-drag airplane. Appendix 4 of the AC defined low-inertia and/or high-drag airplanes as airplanes that rapidly lose energy (airspeed and/or altitude) when there is a loss or reduction of power.

In addition, Appendix 4 d. Other Hazards, states,


Hazards of low-inertia/high-drag airplanes are not limited to power management issues. While all airplanes experience an increase in stall speed with an increase in load factor, such as during turns, these airplanes may also experience significant airspeed decay with increased load factor. This, coupled with low cruise speed to stall speed margin, make these airplanes particularly susceptible to unintentional stalls.



Location: Ravenna, OH
Accident Number: CEN18FA045
Date & Time: 12/03/2017, 1140 EST
Registration: N2200T
Aircraft: PIPER TITAN TORNADO II D
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

Analysis 

The sport pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane was returning to the airport after a 30-minute flight. A witness saw the airplane on final approach to the runway about 500 ft above ground level when he heard a total loss of engine power. The airplane banked left and right and entered a nose-down descent consistent with an aerodynamic stall condition. The airplane impacted terrain short of the runway.

Although the witness, an acquaintance of the accident pilot, estimated that the pilot had accrued about 10 hours of flight time in the airplane since purchasing it about 1 year prior, the pilot's logbook was not located during the investigation, and his experience level in the accident airplane could not be determined. Additionally, it could not be determined if the pilot had obtained transition training in the accident airplane, which was classified as a low-inertia/high-drag airplane. Low-inertia/high-drag airplanes rapidly lose energy (airspeed and/or altitude) when there is a loss or reduction of power, and are particularly susceptible to unintentional aerodynamic stalls due to their low cruise speed to stall speed margin and their tendency to experience significant airspeed decay with increased load factor (such as during a turn).

Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; therefore, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. It is likely that the pilot failed to attain a proper airspeed following the loss of engine power, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall, and impact with terrain. 

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed following a loss of engine power during final approach for landing, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. 

Findings

Aircraft
Angle of attack - Attain/maintain not possible (Cause)
Airspeed - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Approach-VFR pattern final
Loss of engine power (total)
Loss of control in flight (Defining event)

Uncontrolled descent

Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

On December 3, 2017, at 1140 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Titan Tornado II D, N2200T, impacted terrain while on final approach for landing at Portage County Airport (POV), Ravenna, Ohio. The sport pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The airplane was owned by the pilot who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed from POV about 1110.

The only witness to the accident stated that the pilot stopped by the witness's hangar before the accident flight and said that it was a beautiful day to go flying. The witness saw the airplane take off from runway 27 and described the takeoff as "Learjet style," meaning that the airplane had a high rate of climb. The airplane proceeded south until it disappeared from his view. The witness subsequently saw the accident airplane on final approach for runway 27 about 30 minutes later. While on final approach, the airplane was "coming down normally and regularly" before he heard the engine noise "suddenly stop" and the engine went "silent." About 10 seconds later and about 1 mile from the approach end of runway 27, the airplane started "acting erratically." The airplane banked right, then banked immediately left, and then banked right before descending from about 500 ft above ground level into the ground. The witness stated that the airplane "didn't go straight down," but it was a "steep" descent. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Sport Pilot
Age: 60, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Sport Pilot Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 

The pilot held a sport pilot certificate. He also held repairman-experimental aircraft builder and repairman-light sport aircraft certificates. The pilot's logbook was not available for review. The pilot did not hold an FAA airman medical certificate, nor was he required to as a sport pilot.

Aircraft registration records showed that the pilot purchased the airplane on September 10, 2016.The witness estimated that the pilot had accumulated about 10 hours in the airplane since purchasing it. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Paul A Piper
Registration: N2200T
Model/Series: TITAN TORNADO II D
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2017
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: 002
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/06/2017, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection: 0 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:  as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Jabiru
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: 2200
Registered Owner: Individual
Rated Power: 85 hp
Operator: Pilot
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 



Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: POV, 1198 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1133 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 270°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 270°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.22 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 6°C / 0°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Ravenna, OH (POV)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Ravenna, OH (POV)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1110 EST
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: Portage County Airport (POV)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 1198 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 27
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3499 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 41.208611, -81.228333 (est) 

The wreckage was located behind a house about 0.8 mile east of runway 27. The area surrounding the wreckage displayed ground scarring consistent with the dimensions of the airplane. The airplane was oriented in a nose-down attitude. The wings, elevators, and rudder and their respective controls surfaces were attached and secure. The propeller was attached and secure to the engine, which remained attached to the airframe. Neither of the two propeller blades displayed damage. There was no evidence of fire or sooting. The instrument panel was destroyed by impact forces.

Flight control continuity was established from the flight control surfaces to the cockpit controls. Engine control continuity from the cockpit controls to the engine was confirmed.

The 15-gallon fuel tank contained an estimated 1 gallon of liquid consistent with fuel. The fuel did not exhibit contamination. The fuel valves from the fuel tank to the engine were in the open position.

The airplane was equipped with an Adventure Pilot iFly 720 multi-function display and GPS unit with removable SD card; a MGL RDAC XB module that was designed to interface thermocouples and other engine monitoring sensors, which was connected to an Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS); and a MGL XL (non-Stratomaster model) EFIS. These units were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Recorders Laboratory for download of non-volatile memory. The last data log retrieved from the Adventure Pilot iFly 720 had a timestamp from October 21, 2017, about 2.5 months before the accident flight. The MGL RDAC XB and MGL XL units did not record data.

The engine, a Jabiru model 2200 (serial number 22A3748), was removed and shipped to Arion Aircraft, Shelbyville, Tennessee, for an engine run under the supervision of an FAA inspector. The inspector stated that the engine started and ran smoothly for about 5 to 10 minutes before the test was discontinued. 

Medical And Pathological Information

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office, Cleveland, Ohio, performed an autopsy of the pilot. The medical examiner reported the cause of death as blunt impact injuries.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified Losartan in liver. Testing was negative for ethanol and carbon monoxide.

Losartan is a prescription medication used primarily for the treatment of high blood pressure. It may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents. It is not considered to be impairing. 

Tests And Research

Advisory Circular (AC) 90-109A, Transition to Unfamiliar Aircraft, discusses training and risk mitigation in flying various families of airplanes.

According to a table found in Appendix 2 of the AC, the Titan Tornado II was categorized as a low-inertia and/or high-drag airplane. Appendix 4 of the AC defined low-inertia and/or high-drag airplanes as airplanes that rapidly lose energy (airspeed and/or altitude) when there is a loss or reduction of power.

In addition, Appendix 4 d. Other Hazards, states,

Hazards of low-inertia/high-drag airplanes are not limited to power management issues. While all airplanes experience an increase in stall speed with an increase in load factor, such as during turns, these airplanes may also experience significant airspeed decay with increased load factor. This, coupled with low cruise speed to stall speed margin, make these airplanes particularly susceptible to unintentional stalls. The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Cleveland FSDO; North Olmsted, Ohio

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


http://registry.faa.gov/N2200T


Location: Ravenna, OH

Accident Number: CEN18FA045
Date & Time: 12/03/2017, 1140 EST
Registration: N2200T
Aircraft: PIPER TITAN TORNADO II D
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On December 3, 2017, at 1140 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Titan Tornado II D, N2200T, impacted terrain while on final approach for landing at Portage County Airport (POV), Ravenna, Ohio. The sport pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The airplane was owned by the pilot who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed from POV about 1110.


The only witness to the accident stated that the pilot stopped by the witness's hangar before the accident flight and said that it was a beautiful day to go flying. The witness saw the airplane take off from runway 27 and described the takeoff as "Learjet style," meaning that the airplane had a high rate of climb. The airplane proceeded south until it disappeared from his view. The witness subsequently saw the accident airplane on final approach for runway 27 about 30 minutes later. While on final approach, the airplane was "coming down normally and regularly" before he heard the engine noise "suddenly stop" and the engine went "silent." About 10 seconds later and about 1 mile from the approach end of runway 27, the airplane started "acting erratically." The airplane banked right, then banked immediately left, and then banked right before descending from about 500 ft above ground level into the ground. The witness stated that the airplane "didn't go straight down," but it was a "steep" descent. 


Pilot Information


Certificate: Sport Pilot

Age: 60, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Sport Pilot Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 

The pilot held a sport pilot certificate. He also held repairman-experimental aircraft builder and repairman-light sport aircraft certificates. The pilot's logbook was not available for review. The pilot did not hold an FAA airman medical certificate, nor was he required to as a sport pilot.


Aircraft registration records showed that the pilot purchased the airplane on September 10, 2016.The witness estimated that the pilot had accumulated about 10 hours in the airplane since purchasing it. 


Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information


Aircraft Make: Paul A Piper

Registration: N2200T
Model/Series: TITAN TORNADO II D
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2017
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: 002
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/06/2017, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection: 0 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:  as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Jabiru
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: 2200
Registered Owner: Individual
Rated Power: 85 hp
Operator: Pilot
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan


Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions

Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: POV, 1198 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1133 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 270°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 270°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.22 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 6°C / 0°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Ravenna, OH (POV)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Ravenna, OH (POV)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1110 EST
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information


Airport: Portage County Airport (POV)

Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 1198 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 27
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3499 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: 

Wreckage and Impact Information


Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal

Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 41.208611, -81.228333 (est) 

The wreckage was located behind a house about 0.8 mile east of runway 27. The area surrounding the wreckage displayed ground scarring consistent with the dimensions of the airplane. The airplane was oriented in a nose-down attitude. The wings, elevators, and rudder and their respective controls surfaces were attached and secure. The propeller was attached and secure to the engine, which remained attached to the airframe. Neither of the two propeller blades displayed damage. There was no evidence of fire or sooting. The instrument panel was destroyed by impact forces.


Flight control continuity was established from the flight control surfaces to the cockpit controls. Engine control continuity from the cockpit controls to the engine was confirmed.


The 15-gallon fuel tank contained an estimated 1 gallon of liquid consistent with fuel. The fuel did not exhibit contamination. The fuel valves from the fuel tank to the engine were in the open position.


The airplane was equipped with an Adventure Pilot iFly 720 multi-function display and GPS unit with removable SD card; a MGL RDAC XB module that was designed to interface thermocouples and other engine monitoring sensors, which was connected to an Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS); and a MGL XL (non-Stratomaster model) EFIS. These units were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Recorders Laboratory for download of non-volatile memory. The last data log retrieved from the Adventure Pilot iFly 720 had a timestamp from October 21, 2017, about 2.5 months before the accident flight. The MGL RDAC XB and MGL XL units did not record data.


The engine, a Jabiru model 2200 (serial number 22A3748), was removed and shipped to Arion Aircraft, Shelbyville, Tennessee, for an engine run under the supervision of an FAA inspector. The inspector stated that the engine started and ran smoothly for about 5 to 10 minutes before the test was discontinued. 


Medical And Pathological Information


The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office, Cleveland, Ohio, performed an autopsy of the pilot. The medical examiner reported the cause of death as blunt impact injuries.


Toxicology testing performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified Losartan in liver. Testing was negative for ethanol and carbon monoxide.


Losartan is a prescription medication used primarily for the treatment of high blood pressure. It may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents. It is not considered to be impairing. 


Tests And Research


Advisory Circular (AC) 90-109A, Transition to Unfamiliar Aircraft, discusses training and risk mitigation in flying various families of airplanes.


According to a table found in Appendix 2 of the AC, the Titan Tornado II was categorized as a low-inertia and/or high-drag airplane. Appendix 4 of the AC defined low-inertia and/or high-drag airplanes as airplanes that rapidly lose energy (airspeed and/or altitude) when there is a loss or reduction of power.


In addition, Appendix 4 d. Other Hazards, states,


Hazards of low-inertia/high-drag airplanes are not limited to power management issues. While all airplanes experience an increase in stall speed with an increase in load factor, such as during turns, these airplanes may also experience significant airspeed decay with increased load factor. This, coupled with low cruise speed to stall speed margin, make these airplanes particularly susceptible to unintentional stalls.


Location: Ravenna, OH
Accident Number: CEN18FA045
Date & Time: 12/03/2017, 1140 EST
Registration: N2200T
Aircraft: PIPER TITAN TORNADO II D
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On December 3, 2017, at 1140 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built Piper Titan Tornado II D, N2200T, impacted terrain, while on final approach, about 0.8 miles from runway 27 at Portage County Airport (POV), Ravenna, Ohio. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The sport pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight departed from POV about 1110. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: PIPER, PAUL A.
Registration: N2200T
Model/Series: TITAN TORNADO II D
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: Yes 
Operator: Pilot
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: POV, 1198 ft msl
Observation Time: 1133 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 6°C / 0°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots, 270°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.22 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Ravenna, OH (POV)
Destination: Ravenna, OH (POV)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude:




Friends and family said Steve Paulus loved to fly.

His brother, Rootstown Trustee Joe Paulus, said Steve built his own plane about five or six years ago, and purchased a second craft, the one he was piloting Sunday night when he crashed, within the past two months. Both planes were stored at the Portage County Airport.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol and FAA are investigating the crash of the homemade, single-engine Titan Tornado II that Steve Paulus, 60, was flying when he died in a crash Sunday evening on Nicodemus Road in Shalersville — less than a mile east of the Portage County Regional Airport.

Joe Paulus described his brother as a good pilot and said he rode in his brother’s craft a few times. He remembers talking to his brother’s flight instructor at the FAA, who described Steve’s knowledge of airplanes as “instinctual.” One time, the instructor said, Steve ran into cross winds, and immediately knew what kind of corrective action to take. “There are some things you can’t teach,” he remembers the instructor saying.

A U.S. Air Force veteran, Paulus was a trained electrician who at one time owned Paulus Electric in Rootstown. He used to help maintain and repair the Record-Courier’s presses when they were located in Ravenna, former pressroom superintendent and current R-C Circulation Director Gary Hurst said.

Paulus also was an electrician for Portage County Water Resources from 2003 to 2011 said JoAnn Townend, director of the county’s Internal Services Department. He also did some electrical work on her home years ago, she recalled.

“He was such a nice guy, very easygoing,” Townend said. “Very laid-back and mannerly.”

Paulus most recently was working as an electrical technology instructor at the Portage Lakes Career Center in Uniontown. A secretary for Superintendent Benjamin Moore acknowledged Paulus worked there but said Monday the school would have no comment.

Paulus was born in Akron and had seven brothers. He was a Rootstown High School graduate, and he and Kim, his wife of 39 years, raised two sons in the township.

Joe Paulus said his brother was a skilled electrician who learned his trade while serving in the Air Force. In addition to his business and work for the county, he also taught at Maplewood Career Center in Ravenna for a few years before moving on to the Portage Lakes Career Center two years ago. When a former Maplewood student called him looking for help, Steve told the young man that he’d be there in 10 minutes.

“That’s the kind of things he did,” he said. “Quiet, not a lot of fanfare, the kind of things people do that impact lives.”

North Coast Lite Flyers, a Northeastern Ohio-based ultralight and light plane sport club, sent an email message to members informing them of Paulus’ death “with deep regret and sadness.”

“Steve was a thoughtful and friendly flying companion,” the club wrote in the email.


Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.record-courier.com

Stephen Paulus at MAPS Air Museum earlier this year with Experimental Aircraft Association chapter member Homer Lucas (left). 


Stephen Paulus at MAPS Air Museum earlier this year. 


Maybe it was his love for technology or his years working on airfield lighting fields while he was in the U.S. Air Force.

Whatever it was, Stephen Paulus couldn’t get his head out of the clouds.

“His passion for flying was infectious,” said Chris Mars, a fellow pilot and friend of Paulus' for the last three years. “He was just so fun to be around. I was shocked and saddened to hear what happened.”

The 60-year old Kent State alum was found dead Sunday night, after an apparent plane crash in the backyard of a home in Shalersville Township.

Residents of the home found Paulus in his 2017 Titan Tornado II D aircraft hours after the crash occurred. 

“Our initial report says the pilot was just flying out enjoying his day,” said Sgt. Scott Louive from the Ravenna Division of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Now, close friends and family grieve as they try to understand how this happened to Paulus, the man with snow-white hair, a telltale smile and a wicked drive to fly.

“He died doing what he loved to do, flying his plane,” said David Bedard, a cousin, in a social media post.

Paulus was an experienced pilot who was a regular at the Portage County Regional Airport, his “home away from home” when he wasn’t at his Rootstown residence.

“(Paulus) was a really nice guy and was always around here," said Jeff Cales, the owner of Jeff Cales Custom Aviation, an aircraft refinishing and painting company located within the port. He helped paint one of Paulus’ former planes.

Paulus volunteered at nearly every event and was heavily involved in the local Experimental Aircraft Association chapter he co-founded with Mars.

“If someone was new, he would give them pointers,” Mars said. “He would always give them a hand. He was just like that.”

When talking about Paulus, Mars often tells others about the Young Eagles Flights, a yearly event where pilots can give young aviation enthusiasts a ride in an airplane.

“He would have his plane stationed on the ground (before the flight), and he would walk them around and show them how every part works,” Mars said. “He was a great volunteer.”

Paulus began teaching at Maplewood Career Center in Ravenna, Ohio, before he taught at Portage Lakes Career Center, or PLCC, in 2015. He taught electrical technology, a skill he learned during his time in the Army working on voltage lines in Germany and the U.S.

He was known as being a hands-on teacher who rarely had students sit at desks.

Travis Murdock, a robotics student at PLCC, describes Paulus as strict, but in a good way, with a sarcastic sense of humor. While he never had him for class, the two would get coffee together every morning before school.

“He was kind and caring," Murdock said. "He had a big personality, but that is what made him extraordinary. Like I said, I wasn’t his student, … but I do know he was knowledgeable and consistent in his trade, and that made him a great teacher.”  

Paulus talked about his planes all the time in the classroom. When students were not working on assignments, he would often show the class the planes he wanted or the flight routes he took that week.

“He seriously flew every weekend,” said Matt Macerol, a junior high school student in the electrical technology class. “ ... It’s strange, him not being in the classroom. We always had an inside joke that he would be immortal and live out all of us. It’s very shocking.”

PLCC declined to comment on his death, and his immediate family was not available for comment.


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








A small plane crashed near a home in Portage County after take-off at a local airport.

The crash occurred at 7979 Nicodemus Rd. in Shalersville Township, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

The OSHP pronounced the operator of the plane dead at the scene.

A former owner of the plane confirmed Stephen Paulus, 60, of Rootstown as the pilot. Paulus was a Kent State alumni and veteran of the U.S. Air Force. 

On the Portage Lakes Career Center website, where Paulus was employed as an electrical technology instructor, his profile says his hobby was “flying his own airplane” and he “..built his first airplane himself, and flew it for 5 years.”

“Our initial report says the pilot was just flying out enjoying his day,” said Sgt. Scott Louive from the Ravenna division of the OSHP.

No passengers were on the aircraft. EMS and FAA were also on the scene.

The plane is believed to have crashed hours earlier, but Portage County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call from residents of the home around 5:40 p.m.

The plane dropped down from the air, hitting the side of the deck and then veering off into the grass.

The single-engine plane, which officers described as a “home-built” plane, was taking off from Portage County airport.

Paulus attained his Sport Pilot certificate from the Federal Aviation Association on Oct. 6, 2010. According to his record, he did not meet all of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s requirements — the minimum cabin safety standards.

The plane, a 2017 Titan Tornado II D, is classified as an amanter-built, experimental aircraft. It is still licensed to its former owner, Paul Piper, of Waynesfield, Ohio.

The OSHP said the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

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



SHALERSVILLE TOWNSHIP, Ohio - A plane crashed into the back deck of a home on Nicodemus Road in Shalersville Township, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol. 


Officials say they do not know exactly when the crash happened, but the family living at 7978 Nicodemus Road noticed the pane around 5:39 p.m. Sunday. The crash reportedly happened while the family was not home. They noticed the plane through the kitchen window after they had been home for awhile.


Authorities have identified the pilot as Stephen Paulus, 60, of Rootstown.


The single-engine aircraft had only Paulus inside, who died as a result of the crash.


He left flying westbound from the Portage County Regional Airport in his 2017 Titan Tornado II fixed wing single-engine plane when the plane struck a wooden deck attached to a private residence.


The home is about two-tenths of a mile away from the Portage County Regional Airport. Initial reports indicate the pilot took off from the airport, was flying around enjoying the day and heading back to the airport when the plane crashed.


Paulus was an electrical technology instructor at Portage Lakes Career Center and an owner of an electrical contracting company that he started in 1985. He began teaching at the Portage Lakes Career Center in 2015 after serving in the U.S. Air Force where went to Germany, Nevada and Texas.


His hobby revolved around flying his own airplane. He built his first airplane himself and flew it for 5 years, according to the Portage Lakes Career Center website.


Portage County sheriff's department and fire department were called to the scene. EMS and the FAA are also on scene.


The Portage County Coroner's office does not yet have an official cause of death. A full autopsy will be performed Monday morning.


Story, video and photo gallery ➤ http://www.news5cleveland.com




SHALERSVILLE TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- When you live across the street from an airport, you get used to hearing planes flying over your house.

But when a plane crashed in their neighbor's yard in Shalersville Township on Sunday, Dave and Carrie Shanley didn't hear anything.

The couple lives across the street from the Portage County Regional Airport.

"I was home and did not hear a thing," Dave Shanley said. "It's very quite out here. Absolutely this is quite a surprise to me."

"My daughter and I were coming home from a choir concert that she had at the high school and we saw all of the lights and knew that something had happened," Carrie Shanley said.

"We've had balloons land in our yard, but never an airplane crash," Dave Shanley said.

Early Monday, the Ohio State Highway Patrol released the identity of the pilot killed in the crash as Stephen Paulus, 60, of Rootstown.

"Once we arrived on scene we observe that it was a single engine airplane crash and there was one occupant that was still inside the airplane," Sgt. Scott Louive, Ohio State Highway Patrol, said.

"The airplane from what we saw had actually dropped on the backside of the property. It did not strike the residence," Louive said.

"What it did was struck the back deck," he said. "The landing gear on the one side hit and it caused it to tilt forward and it struck the ground at the time."

Louive said nobody was home at the time of the crash.

"The homeowners arrived home and just happened to noise whenever they were in the backside of their home," he said. "They were inside their kitchen when they saw it."

Because nobody was home at the time of the crash, Louive said it's possible that the plane had been there for some time before it was discovered. The Ohio State Highway Patrol was called to the scene around 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Louive said the family didn't know the pilot.

"They're doing pretty well at this point, however, they are emotional considering what has happened," Louive said of the family that discovered the crash.

It was believed that Paulus took off from the Portage County Regional Airport.

He "was just flying around and enjoying the day and may have been back en route to the airport," Louive said.

Investigators with the Federal Aviation Administration did respond to the scene.

Louive said it would take a while before a full report was ready. He could not say what might have caused the crash.

Story and video ➤ http://fox8.com




PORTAGE COUNTY, OH (WOIO) -  Authorities have released the name of the pilot who was killed when he crashed his small plane into the backyard of a Portage County home on Sunday.

Investigators say 60-year-old Stephen Paulus, of Rootstown, died when his single-engine airplane crashed into the back deck of a home on Nicodermus Road in Shalersville Township after taking off from Portage County Regional Airport.

Sgt. Scott Louive from the Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers said the family discovered the crashed plane in their backyard around 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

"It's believed that the pilot took off from the Portage County airport," says Sgt. Louive. "He was just flying around enjoying the day, and may have been back en route to the airport."

Officials believe that because of the debris field, the plane crashed straight down and did not hit ground at an angle.

"From the debris we saw back there, it doesn't appear it was coming from any angle. It appears that it just dropped straight down," said Sgt. Louive.

Local and federal law enforcement agencies, including the FAA and NTSB, are continuing the investigation into the circumstances leading up to the crash.

The Portage County Coroner is expected to perform an autopsy on the pilot Monday to determine the official cause of death.

Story, video and photo gallery ➤ http://www.cleveland19.com





PORTAGE CO., Ohio (WKBN) – A pilot is dead after a single-engine airplane crashed into a Portage County house Sunday evening.

The crash happened about 5:30 p.m. Sunday in Shalersville Township, near Ravenna.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, 60-year-old Stephen Paulus, of Rootstown, was piloting a home-built plane when it came down in someone’s backyard, crashing into a deck.

No one was in the house at the time of the crash. Paulus was the only person on board the aircraft.

“It is believed the pilot took off from the Portage County Airport and that he was just flying around enjoying the day and may have been back en route to the airport,” said Sgt. Scott Louive.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the Portage County Sheriff’s Officer were back on the scene Monday morning.

An autopsy is planned for Monday.

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