Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona
Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
https://registry.faa.gov/N3784A
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Scottsdale, Arizona
Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
https://registry.faa.gov/N3784A
Location: Safford, AZ
Accident Number: GAA20CA039
Date & Time: 10/19/2019, 1730 MST
Registration: N3784A
Aircraft: Zenair CH 701
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Part(s) separation from AC
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while returning to the departure airport about 1,200 ft above the ground, the engine developed a severe and instantaneous vibration. He reduced power and searched for an emergency landing spot. The pilot chose a road as the landing spot, but the airplane landed about 40 ft short of the road in soft, rough sand, and the main landing gear separated from the airplane. The pilot reported that his pilot-rated passenger saw "something black streaking from the right, into the prop" before the vibration started. He suspected it was a drone but was not sure. The pilot added that there was no blood or feathers on the airplane or propeller. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. A portion of one propeller blade was not found at the accident site. The pilot further reported that, using a handheld GPS, he returned to the area of the presumed in-flight propeller strike and found pieces of the propeller but no drone fragments. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported as a safety recommendation that he suspected the airplane would have not sustained as much damage if he had landed in "one of the clear areas in the desert." He added that he "overestimated glide performance."
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The in-flight separation of a propeller blade for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in an off-airport landing on soft sand and the separation of main landing gear. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing area.
Findings
Aircraft
Propeller blade section - Failure (Cause)
Personnel issues
Decision making/judgment - Pilot (Factor)
Environmental issues
Soft surface - Effect on operation (Cause)
Soft surface - Decision related to condition (Factor)
Not determined
Not determined - Unknown/Not determined (Cause)
Factual Information
History of Flight
Maneuvering
Part(s) separation from AC (Defining event)
Landing
Off-field or emergency landing
Emergency descent
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 49, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: BasicMed
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/13/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/16/2018
Flight Time: (Estimated) 2570 hours (Total, all aircraft), 104 hours (Total, this make and model), 2504 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 61 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 13 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Zenair
Registration: N3784A
Model/Series: CH 701 No Series
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2007
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental
Serial Number: 5319
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/17/2019, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1320 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 85 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C91A installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: O-200
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: KSAD, 3176 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 2351 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 34°
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: 260°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.85 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 26°C / 0°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Safford, AZ (SAD)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Safford, AZ (SAD)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1645 MST
Type of Airspace: Class G
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries:1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 32.693889, -109.690278 (est)
Go on blame it on a drone,its the in thing to do.
ReplyDeleteI fly drones. As soon as the CFI does his part I'll be a licensed drone operator (and licensed pilot). About the only comment I have for the first poster is - if you think ALL drone pilots are responsible drone pilots you aren't paying attention. There are posts all over the web about how far the pilots drone went and the distances are staggering. They are well out of visual range. Same thing with altitude. Without proof I'd put the odds at 50/50 that the aircraft was hit by a drone. If I put a tinfoil hat on I might even suggest it was a practice run.
ReplyDelete