Tuesday, June 09, 2020

System/Component Malfunction/Failure (Non-Power): Icon A5, N838BA; accident occurred June 03, 2020 near the Sky Harbor Airport (KDYT), Duluth, Saint Louis County, Minnesota

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Minneapolis, Minnesota

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


https://registry.faa.gov/N838BA


Location: Duluth, MN
Accident Number: CEN20LA207
Date & Time: 06/03/2020, 1630 CDT
Registration:N838BA 
Aircraft:Icon A5 
Aircraft Damage:Substantial 
Defining Event: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On June 3, 2020, about 1630 central daylight time, an ICON A5 amphibian airplane, N838BA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near the Sky Harbor Airport (DYT), Duluth, Minnesota. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot, he taxied downwind on the water for takeoff. When facing into the wind, he applied full power and about 5 seconds later, heard a "loud bang". He shut down the engine, climbed out, looked back, and saw that all 3 propeller blades were missing. At this point, the airplane started to sink. He and his passenger donned life jackets and evacuated the airplane.

Substantial damage was noted to the airplane's fuselage, including holes in the hull.

Several days later, the pilot recalled that before he taxied out, they washed the airplane. During the wash, he had placed a portable speaker on the top of the airplane to listen to some music while they worked. He did not recall putting the speaker away before departure. The pilot added, "that the speaker must have rolled over the engine compartment and into the propellers ..."

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board Investigator In Charge, the pilot stated that he has not since located the speaker. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private; Sport Pilot
Age: 45
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present:
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/01/2020
Occupational Pilot:No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Icon
Registration: N838BA
Model/Series: A5
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2019
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Special Light-Sport
Serial Number: 00114
Landing Gear Type: Amphibian
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 01/30/2020, Condition
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines:  Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 125.6 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Rotax
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: 912 IS
Registered Owner:On file 
Rated Power: 100
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: KDYT
Distance from Accident Site:
Observation Time: 1635
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  7 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 3 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 50°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 29.79 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 4°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Precipitation
Departure Point: Duluth, MN (KDYT)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Duluth, MN (KDYT)
Type of Clearance:None 
Departure Time:
Type of Airspace:

Airport Information

Airport: Sky Harbor Airport (KDYT)
Runway Surface Type: N/A
Airport Elevation: 610 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 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 None
Latitude, Longitude: 46.725278, -92.048056 (est)

Location: Duluth, MN

Accident Number: CEN20LA207
Date & Time: 06/03/2020, 1640 CDT
Registration: N838BA
Aircraft: Icon A5
Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On June 3, 2020, about 1640 central daylight time, an ICON A5 amphibian airplane, N838BA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near the Sky Harbor Airport (DYT), Duluth, Minnesota. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot, he taxied on the water for takeoff. When facing into the wind, he applied full power and after about 5 seconds heard a huge bang. He shut down the engine, climbed out, looked back, and saw all 3 propeller blades were missing. At this point, the airplane started to sink. He and his passenger donned life jackets and evacuated the airplane.

Substantial damage was noted to the airplane's fuselage, when the propeller blades separated, resulting in holes in the structure, including the hull.

The airplane and engine were recovered and will be examined.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Icon
Registration: N838BA
Model/Series:A5
Aircraft Category: Airplane
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: KDYT
Observation Time:1635 
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 4°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 3 knots / , 50°
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility:  7 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.79 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: Duluth, MN (KDYT)
Destination:

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: 46.725278, -92.048056 (est)

6 comments:

  1. Nothing quite like being the cool dude at Party Cove with your battery operated Bluetooth-linked portable speaker sitting on top of your Icon.

    Have to give him credit for fessing up to it, but shows a lack of awareness that he did not have a reminder method and did not look at the wing before heading out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Alexa, please remove the propellers".

    ReplyDelete
  3. And the award for the best preflight walkaround goes to....

    ReplyDelete
  4. At least 7 icon a5 are totaled. serial 004 (Michigan sales demo), 007 (fatal icon test pilot), 010 (Florida sank rough sea landing), 022 (Roy Halladay), 044 (BC lake wheels down), 051 (Chicago ran out of gas), 114 (boom box speaker).

    But there are a bunch of "missing" icon a5 from the faa registry, do you know what happens to them?

    037 (n539sw hard landing "minor" damage) got deregistered

    011, 014, 038, 049, 063, 083, 091, 109

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think that the n539sw is being sold because the reserved n number for the new aircraft has the same Mode S Code as the icon a5.

    But it is curious that there are 8 serial numbers missing from the faa registry and the icon a5 is only certified to fly in the US so the missing aircrafts are not in other countries registries.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thomas Wieners, the guy in charge of Icon, just left the company.

    https://boatingindustry.com/news/2020/06/25/invincible-names-new-coo/

    ReplyDelete