Saturday, June 08, 2019

Loss of Lift: Jensen ICP Savannah, N951RA, accident occurred August 05, 2018 near West Desert Airpark (UT99), Fairfield, Utah

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City, Utah

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/N951RA

Location: Fairfield, UT
Accident Number: WPR18TA212
Date & Time: 08/05/2018, 0800 MDT
Registration: N951RA
Aircraft: ICP Savannah
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of lift
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On August 05, 2018, about 0800 mountain daylight time, an experimental Jensen ICP Savannah airplane, N951RA, encountered a downdraft and impacted terrain short of the runway at the West Desert Airpark, Fairfield, Utah. The private pilot received minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The personal cross-country flight originated from Spanish Fork Airport Springville-Woodhouse Field, Spanish Fork, Utah, about 0700 and was destined for Fairfield.

The pilot stated that while on the base leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane experienced a loss of lift. Despite his attempts to arrest the descent by adding full throttle, the airplane collided with the desert terrain short of the runway.

The pilot opined that the airplane had likely encountered a severe downdraft and the engine power was not sufficient to overcome the resulting descent rate. He thought that the accident may have been prevented if he had configured the airplane to land in a steeper and higher approach combined with more airspeed. He further stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 61
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/01/2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 03/19/2017
Flight Time:  606 hours (Total, all aircraft), 379 hours (Total, this make and model), 555 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 8 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: ICP
Registration: N951RA
Model/Series: Savannah
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2010
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: 05-01-51-365
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 12/12/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: Rotax
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: 912ULS
Registered Owner: On file
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: KPVU, 4497 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 17 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1356 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 99°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 140°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.99 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 19°C / 13°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Spanish Fork, UT (SPK)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Fairfield, UT (UT99)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0700 MDT
Type of Airspace: Class E

Airport Information

Airport: West Desert Airpark (UT99)
Runway Surface Type: Dirt
Airport Elevation: 4902 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry; Soft
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: Traffic Pattern

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:  40.262222, -112.093056 (est)

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