Wednesday, June 05, 2019

Fuel Exhaustion: Silent 2 Electro, N66911; accident occurred June 04, 2019 near Danbury Municipal Airport (KDXR), Fairfield County, Connecticut












Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Investigator In Charge (IIC): Wentz, Peter

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

Additional Participating Entity: 
Kevin Godbout; Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Bradley, Massachusetts

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: 

Fun Flying LLC


Location: Danbury, Connecticut
Accident Number: ERA19LA186
Date and Time: June 4, 2019, 17:00 Local
Registration: N66911
Aircraft: Alisport Silent 2
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel exhaustion
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot was conducting a personal flight in an electrically-powered, self-launching motor glider. He stated that, while returning to the departure airport at the conclusion of the flight, the glider encountered sink and he turned on the electric motor, but it produced “no thrust.” The glider continued to descend and impacted a house about 2 miles from the airport, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the glider that would have prevented normal operation before the accident and that the accident might have been prevented with “better management of power and understanding of battery power source.”

Data from the engine control unit indicated that the motor was used for about 13 minutes during the taxi, takeoff, and climb. The motor was used again about 5 hours into the flight for about 19 minutes, and again about 5:49 hours elapsed flight time, for about 32 minutes. The final activation of the motor occurred at 6:21 elapsed flight time; the accident occurred at an elapsed flight time of about 6:22. According to the glider manufacturer, the battery supplied power for takeoff and an additional 40 minutes of use thereafter. During the accident flight, the motor was used for a total of over 1 hour. Given this information, it is likely that the pilot had exhausted the available battery power and that the motor was no longer able to provide sufficient thrust to sustain flight.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s inadequate inflight management of the motor glider’s available battery power, which resulted in the inability of the electric motor to provide sufficient thrust to sustain flight in an environment where no atmospheric lift was available.

Findings

Personnel issues Decision making/judgment - Pilot
Aircraft Battery/charger - Incorrect use/operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Approach Loss of lift
Approach Fuel exhaustion (Defining event)

On June 4, 2019, about 1700 eastern daylight time, an experimental Alisport SRL Silent 2 Electro glider, N66911, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR), Danbury, Connecticut. The pilot sustained minor injuries.  The glider was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot, he performed a preflight inspection of the glider and the self-launching electric motor. He stated the glider’s battery was fully charged before the flight. He utilized the glider’s electric motor to take off from DXR and proceeded northbound using thermals and ridge lift. He flew for about 2 hours before turning southbound near the Massachusetts/Vermont border to return to DXR. He stated high overcast conditions pushed him west toward the New York/Connecticut border and that he needed to use the electric motor to maintain a safe altitude due to low thermal activity. His last calculation of remaining battery energy was about 20 minutes from DXR, when he noted about 20% battery life remaining.

About 8 miles from DXR, the pilot contacted the tower controller and was cleared to land, but the glider encountered sink and the pilot turned on the electric motor. The pilot reported that the motor produced “no thrust,” and the glider continued to lose altitude until it impacted trees and a house 2.4 miles northeast of DXR. The impact with the house resulted in substantial damage to the glider’s foldable fixed-pitch propeller, nose cowling, cockpit canopy, both wings, and the tail boom. After the accident, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the glider that would have prevented normal operation prior to the
accident.

According to the glider manufacturer’s website, a typical self-launch can be expected to consume about 20% of the available battery capacity, leaving about 40 minutes of power available for use as a sustainer.

The glider was equipped with a front electric-self launch (FES) control unit that contained nonvolatile memory on an SD card. The glider was also equipped with an LX9050 GPS navigation system, from which data for the flight were extracted and correlated with data from the FES. The contents of the FES SD card contained about 6 1/2 hours of data associated with the accident flight and indicated that the FES motor was used five times during the accident flight for a total duration of 1:09:16.

The FES control unit also recorded battery annunciations and provided system warnings. A yellow warning message was provided when the battery power dropped below 95 volts and a red warning message and red light were provided when the battery dropped below 90 volts.
The yellow warning required a reduction in power, while the red warning was a critical voltage warning and required the pilot to stop using the FES motor.

The data from the accident flight showed that pilot received three yellow warning messages and two red warning messages during the flight. The yellow warning messages were displayed at 05:06:32 (elapsed flight time), about 41 nautical miles (nm) from DXR; at 06:08:46 about 12 nm from DXR; and 06:21:51, just 1 minute before impact and at an approximate distance of 2.4 nm from DXR. The red warning messages were displayed at 06:18:12 and 06:18:31.

The pilot reported that the accident might have been prevented with “better management of power and understanding of battery power source.”

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private; Sport Pilot
Age: 63, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land 
Seat Occupied: Single
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Glider
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None 
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Sport pilot None 
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: December 18, 2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 514 hours (Total, all aircraft), 514 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 10 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 10 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Alisport 
Registration: N66911
Model/Series: Silent 2 Electro
Aircraft Category: Glider
Year of Manufacture: 2016
Amateur Built:
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental (Special) 
Serial Number: 2079
Landing Gear Type: N/A
Seats: 1
Date/Type of Last Inspection: March 5, 2019 Condition 
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 691 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Electric
Airframe Total Time: 200 Hrs at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LZ Design
ELT: Not installed
Engine Model/Series: FES
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power: 29 Horsepower
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: dxr, 457 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 2.4 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 16:53 Local 
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 11 knots / 16 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 240° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /
Altimeter Setting: 30.01 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 20°C / 4°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Danbury, CT (DXR)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Destination: DANBURY, CT (DXR)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 12:30 Local 
Type of Airspace: Class D

Airport Information

Airport: Danbury Muni DXR
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 456 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition:
Runway Used: 26
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4422 ft / 150 ft 
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced landing

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 41.598236,-72.755836(est)


Location: DANBURY, CT

Accident Number: ERA19LA186
Date & Time: 06/04/2019, 1700 EDT
Registration: N66911
Aircraft: Alisport SILENT 2
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On June 4, 2019, about 1700 eastern daylight time, an experimental Alisport SRL Silent 2 Electro glider, N66911, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and a residence while on landing approach to Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR), Danbury, Connecticut. The sport pilot sustained minor injuries. The glider was registered to and operated by Fun Flying LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that originated about 1230.

The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection and the self-launching electric motor-glider's battery was fully charged before the flight. He utilized the glider's electric motor to take off from DXR and then proceeded northbound using thermals and air currents to climb to about 7,000 feet. He soared for about 2 hours before turning southbound near the Massachusetts/Vermont state boarder to return to DXR. He stated high overcast conditions pushed him west towards the New York/Connecticut boarder and that he was tracking over a valley ridge but needed to use the electric motor to maintain a safe altitude due to low thermal activity. His last calculation of remaining battery energy was about 20 minutes from DXR, when he noted about 20% battery life remaining. As he prepared to enter the DXR traffic pattern for landing on runway 26, he noted that the glider's altitude was low. He turned on the electric motor; however, it produced only minimal power and the glider continued to lose altitude until it impacted trees and a house 2.7 miles northeast of DXR. The impact with the house resulted in damage to the gliders foldable fixed pitch propeller and nose cowling, cockpit canopy, both wings, and the tail boom.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for glider with limitations of sport endorsements: airplane, single engine land. He reported 514 total hours of flight experience, of which 200 hours were in a glider, and 10 hours were accrued in the previous three months.

The 1653 weather conditions reported at DXR included a visibility of 10 statute miles, clear sky, wind from 240° at 11 knots gusting to 16, temperature 20°C, dew point 4°C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 30.01 inches of mercury.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Alisport
Registration: N66911 
Model/Series: SILENT 2 ELECTRO
Aircraft Category: Glider
Amateur Built: No
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: dxr, 457 ft msl
Observation Time: 1653 EDT
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point: 20°C / 4°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 11 knots / 16 knots, 240°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.01 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Departure Point: Danbury, CT (DXR)
Destination: DANBURY, CT (DXR)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 41.410000, -73.465556 (est)


Mike Safranek, Assistant Airport Administrator, City of Danbury, was on location after a Alisport Silent 2 Electro, flown by a local business owner, crashed into a house on Golden Hill Avenue, while making its approach to Danbury Airport Tuesday evening, June 4th, 2019, in Danbury, Connecticut.

Chris Cunningham, General Manager/Director of Maintenance of Colonial Air in New Bedford, Massachusetts, works are disconnecting the parachute in a Alisport Silent 2 Electro that was removed from the roof of a house on Golden Hill Avenue Wednesday afternoon. The glider crashed through the roof of the house on Tuesday evening. June 5th, 2019, in Danbury, Connecticut.

Danbury Fire Chief TJ Wiedl works with emergency personnel at the site of a Alisport Silent 2 Electro, flown by a local business owner, that crash into a house on Golden Hill Avenue while making its approach to Danbury Airport Tuesday evening, June 4, 2019, in Danbury, Connecticut.

Mayor Mark Boughton was on site after the Alisport Silent 2 Electro, flown by a local business owner, crashed into a house on Golden Hill Avenue while making its approach to Danbury Airport Tuesday evening, June 4th, 2019, in Danbury, Connecticut.


Chris Cunningham, General Manager/Director of Maintenance of Colonial Air in New Bedford, Massachusetts, secures aircraft to a crane brought in to remove the Alisport Silent 2 Electro from the roof of a house on Golden Hill Avenue.


Chris Cunningham, General Manager/Director of Maintenance of Colonial Air in New Bedford, Massachusetts, reaches for a hook being lowered by a crane brought in to remove a Alisport Silent 2 Electro from the roof of a house on Golden Hill Avenue. 

A crane from Healy Crane was brought in to remove a Alisport Silent 2 Electro from the roof of a house on Golden Hill Avenue.

A crane from Healy Crane was brought in to remove a Alisport Silent 2 Electro from the roof of a house on Golden Hill Avenue in Danbury, Connecticut.

     


DANBURY — A glider remained lodged in the roof of a Golden Hill Avenue family’s home much of the day Wednesday after nose-diving into it Tuesday evening.

Shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday, Chris Cunningham, the general manager and director of maintenance for New Bedford, Mass.-based Colonial Air, climbed onto the roof and into the attic to secure the glider before crews removed it. He also disconnected the parachute that wasn’t deployed to ensure no further damage.

A crane was brought in and lifted the glider out of the house, swung it around to the yard and dropped it to the ground. Crews were expected to remove the pieces of the glider from Golden Hill Avenue later Wednesday. It was unclear where the pieces were to be taken.

Local fire units appeared to bring wood and plastic to the home, to cover the hole left in the roof by the glider’s impact.

Amanda Wirag Oliveira and her two young children were home when the glider with red and gray stripes crashed through the roof of their two-story house a little before 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The 2016 Alisport Silent 2 Electro — the only one of its kind registered in Danbury — belongs to Thomas Nejame, owner of Danbury-based swimming pool supply company Nejame & Sons. But the pilot had not yet been identified Wednesday evening, and it was unknown if Nejame was at the controls when the glider lost power.

The pilot took off from Danbury Municipal Airport between 10 a.m. and noon Tuesday. He radioed the tower around 5:45 p.m., but the message was garbled and the connection then lost, said Assistant Airport Administrator Mike Safranek.

The pilot thought he had 20 minutes of power left and was on his final approach to the airport, according to Mayor Mark Boughton — but the battery-operated glider ran out of power.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, with the assistance of the Federal Aviation Administration, to determine the probable cause of the accident.

FAA officials were on the scene Wednesday afternoon gathering information for the investigation — including interviewing the owners of the house, who are relatives of Oliveira.

An aircraft insurance company is covering the removal of the aircraft, Safranek said.

Oliveira was on the second floor and her two young daughters were downstairs in the living room at the time of the crash.

“I didn’t realize that it actually happened,” Oliveira said. “I was upstairs getting dressed when I heard it. Debris started falling on top of me, so I knew something was going on.”

Oliveira said she initially thought maybe a chimney had collapsed, but then she heard a man in her attic.

“My first reaction was, ‘Why is there a homeless guy in my attic?’” she said. “I slammed the door and I remember running ... and I yelled to the girls to run.”

As her daughters were running to the front door, Oliveira said, a neighbor ran inside, scooped up the girls and told the family to “get out of the house now.”

“My first thought was, ‘How does he know there’s a homeless guy in my attic?’” Oliveira said. “I didn’t know what was going on — but as I was walking out of the house, calling the police, I looked up and I saw the plane.”

Wings and half of the body of the glider stuck out of the attic, with the tail snapped in half.

One of the aircraft’s wings fell on the other side of the house, almost hitting Oliveira’s car. She said the wing landed where her children usually play outside.

“They were inside, almost ready for dinner, so thank God they weren’t outside,” she said.

“At this point, we don't know how much it’s going to cost to fix because the FAA is doing the investigation” Oliveira said. “They’re going to be pulling out the airplane, so that’s kind of when we’ll figure out what’s going on with that.”

Oliveira’s family, the Wirags, have owned the late-19th century house for more than 60 years, according to land records.

Oliveira said her grandmother died not long ago, and items of sentimental value were stored in the attic.

“I haven’t been up there, so I’m hoping to find out once they pull everything out,” she said.

Fire Chief TJ Wiedl said Tuesday’s accident was fortunate — because no fuel was in the plane, there was no risk of fire.

“It’s pretty amazing,” said Deputy Fire Chief Bernie Meehan. “The plane went through the roof but missed the rafters of the house.”

Meehan said the building official is assessing the damage but it should be habitable in a day or so.

The attic saw the bulk of the damage, while damage to the the second floor was less severe, Boughton said.

“It’s not catastrophic,” the mayor said. “They have work to do. The big thing, though, is no one was hurt.”

The aircraft’s fuselage remained embedded in the roof overnight until FAA officials could come to the scene to assess the damage Wednesday.

The pilot was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries, and Oliveira and her daughters were taken for evaluation.

Oliveira — whose daughters were shaken up and “concerned about where [they’re] going to live” — said she thinks the pilot needs to take “a little bit more responsibility” for what happened.

“It really upset me that he didn’t even think about us,” she said. “My daughter has PTSD now because of it. Every little thing — a screech from a chair — she’s jumping up. We were in the hospital and she was afraid a plane was going to hit the hospital. She’s afraid to sleep in her top bunk bed because she’s afraid that if she’s in the top bunk, then the plane’s going to hit her.”

Oliveira said she’s waiting for the pilot to reach out, to at the very least, apologize.

“He just said, ‘It can be fixed.’ He wasn’t worried about the house or my two small children who could have been killed.”

Nejame could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.newstimes.com

4 comments:

  1. "it was unknown if Nejame was at the controls when the glider lost power."

    Sorry I couldn't help it. Hope the pilot is OK.

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  2. Sounds to me like the owner of the house is looking for a Payday. The two children were on first floor by her own admittance and didn't even know what happened till after they were told. How shaken up could these kids possibly be that one can't sleep at night now. Did she even stop and think about the distress of the pilot. He just crashed a plane doing God knows how many miles an hour through a roof and survived. But all she could think about was whether or not he was introducing himself or apologizing poor guy was probably in shock. No one goes out of their way to fall out of the sky

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  3. Reminds me of my first electric car ride. The published range for this car, was very optimistic. We were about 3/4 toward our destination when we started sweating the remaining range and barley made it to a “free” charger. There was a headwind and it was very cold so we had the heater going. Just like flying only we were on the ground and not over a populated area. Glad pilot survived and no one else hurt. I would only operate that type of plan from a glider operation.

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  4. What ugly comments by the homeowner. You think he intentionally crashed his plane into your house, nearly killing himself and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage that he or his insurer are on the hook for? I was reading her comment waiting to hear anything about the condition of the pilot, or even her trying to help the poor guy. My god. Lady, you are going to get compensated for the damage, and probably more than that too. But that's NORMAL. Have a fucking heart in the meantime. I feel badly for your friends that they know you.

    ReplyDelete