Saturday, September 28, 2019

Loss of Control in Flight: Rans S6ES, N2181K; accident occurred July 01, 2016 near Bryant Field Airport (O57), Bridgeport, Mono County, California

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Reno, Nevada

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/N2181K

Location: Bridgeport, CA 
Accident Number: WPR16LA136
Date & Time: 07/01/2016, 0920 PDT
Registration: N2181K
Aircraft: RANS S6
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On July 1, 2016, about 0920 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Rans S6ES airplane, N2181K, impacted terrain about 1 and 1/2 miles north of the Bryant Field Airport (O57), Bridgeport, California. The private pilot was seriously injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to the pilot who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the cross country flight. The flight originated from Auburn Municipal Airport (AUN), Auburn, California at 0810 and was destined for O57.

The pilot reported in a written statement, that when nearing his destination, he flew over his parent's home, to let them know that he was landing at the airport, and for them to pick him up there. After passing over the home, with the intention of landing at O57, he turned sharply to the right, then he remembers the ground coming up into view. The pilot then reported "the wing stalled" in the turn and there was not enough altitude to recover. The pilot concluded that he should have made a shallower turn towards the lake to avoid the steeper terrain. (See Figure 1)


Figure 1-Aerial View of the Accident Site 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 59, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
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: 02/13/2015
Occupational Pilot:No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 930 hours (Total, all aircraft), 175 hours (Total, this make and model) 

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class airman medical certificate was issued to the pilot on February 13, 2015, with a limitation that he must wear corrective lenses for distant vision and have glasses for near vision. The pilot reported that he had accumulated 930 hours of flight experience. He also reported 175 hours in the accident airplane, of which 30 were in the last 90 days.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: RANS
Registration: N2181K
Model/Series:S6 ES 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1994
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental; Normal
Serial Number: 0793519
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection:  Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 917 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: BOMBARDIER
ELT: Installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: ROTAX (ALL)
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 80 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: KBAN, 6749 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 15 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1715 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 285°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 120°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.25 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 6°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: AUBURN, CA (AUN)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: BRIDGEPORT, CA (O57)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0810 PDT
Type of Airspace: Unknown 

The pilot reported calm wind, visibility 30 miles, clear sky and a temperature of 10°C at the time of the accident. At 0915, the Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH), Mammoth Lakes, California, automated weather observation station, located about 43 miles south of the accident site, reported wind 120o at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 23°C, dew point 6°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.25 inches of mercury.

Airport Information

Airport: Bryant Field (O57)
Runway Surface Type:
Airport Elevation: 6471 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Unknown
Runway Used: N/A
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width:
VFR Approach/Landing: None

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 38.289722, -119.207778 (est) 

An FAA inspector documented and photographed the accident site. The first identified point of contact was an area of disturbed dirt and impact marks with the ground on the southwest facing sloped terrain. The impact marks were about 15 ft from the main wreckage and were consistent with the airplane colliding with the terrain in a nose down attitude. Both wing leading edges had impact damage consistent with ground impact. The left wing side strut separated from its lower attachment and the left wing was folded over on top of the right wing. The engine and its mounting assembly had impact damage and was crushed upwards. No anomalies were reported during the examination of the wreckage.

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