The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Fargo, North Dakota
Van's Aircraft; Aurora, Oregon
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Location: Mandan, North Dakota
Accident Number: CEN20LA227
Date & Time: June 13, 2020, 14:00 Local
Registration: N836JC
Aircraft: Vans RV8
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Collision during takeoff/land
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On June 13, 2020, about 1400 central daylight time, a Vans RV8 airplane, N836JC, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Mandan, North Dakota. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
One witness had a meeting with the pilot and others just before the accident flight. The witness walked over to the airplane after the meeting and noticed that the aft cockpit seatbelt was strapped around the control stick. The pilot said that this was done to hold the airplane's flight controls while parked with windy conditions present. This witness reminded the pilot to remove the belt from around the rear seat controls before departure. The witness walked away from the parking area on the ramp and saw the pilot turn around while in the cockpit, but could not see what he was doing. The witness noticed that the airplane's elevator was up as the airplane departed. The airplane became airborne quickly, flew straight up, rolled left, and then went straight down before impacting the ground; a fire ensued. The witness observed that the elevator was in an up position at the accident site and slowly lowered as the fire continued.
Another witness stated that it was very "windy," and he noticed that the wind swung the airplane around during its taxi for departure. The pilot continued a 360° turn on the ramp and then taxied the airplane to the runway for departure. The witness noticed that the airplane's elevator was up during this time and it stayed up throughout the takeoff. Upon lifting off the runway, the airplane "immediately" went straight up to about 50 ft above the ground, entered a left bank, then entered a nose-down, vertical descent to impact. The witness along with another witness tried to pull the pilot out, but the airplane was engulfed in flames.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 57, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: March 24, 2019
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: April 23, 2020
Flight Time: (Estimated) 1022 hours (Total, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Vans
Registration: N836JC
Model/Series: RV8 Undesignated
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2002
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental (Special)
Serial Number: 81012
Landing Gear Type:
Tailwheel Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: November 21, 2019
Condition Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 694.9 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-A1B6D
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 200 Horsepower
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
The airplane was a low-wing, tailwheel-equipped airplane with a tandem seating configuration. Both forward and aft seating positions were equipped with seatbelts and flight controls.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KY19,1946 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 13:55 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 100°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 18 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 130°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C / 17°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Mandan, ND (Y19)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Stanton, ND (PVT)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 14:00 Local
Type of Airspace: Class G
Airport Information
Airport: MANDAN MUNI Y19
Runway Surface Type: Concrete
Airport Elevation: 1944 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 13
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4399 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: Aircraft
Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 46.768054,-100.89444(est)
Federal Aviation Administration inspectors examined and documented the wreckage site. The inboard portions of both wings, the engine, and sections of the fuselage were thermally damaged consistent with a postimpact fire. A ground scar was present south of the wreckage.
Linear gouges were observed within the ground scar. The propeller blades exhibited leading edge nicks and chordwise abrasion. The trim tab on the left elevator was displaced downward, consistent with nose-up trim. The cockpit interior was discolored, deformed, and charred. The seatbelt webbing was not identified.
Additional Information
The airplane kit manufacturer had a stated policy in place for all its company pilots that only the pilot’s stick is to be wrapped around the control stick whenever an airplane's controls are secured by wrapping. The copilot/passenger stick is not to be used to secure the controls under any circumstances.
Medical and Pathological Information
The North Dakota Department of Health State Forensic Examiner conducted an autopsy on the pilot and took toxicological samples. The cause of death was listed as blunt head and chest injuries with burning by fire.
Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for carboxyhemoglobin, ethanol, and drugs of abuse.
========
Location: Mandan, ND
Accident Number: CEN20LA227
Date & Time: June 13, 2020, 14:00 Local
Registration: N836JC
Aircraft: Vans RV8
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On June 13, 2020, about 1400 central daylight time, a Vans RV8 airplane, N836JC, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Mandan, North Dakota. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to initial information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a witness observed the airplane on the ramp prior to the flight and advised the pilot that the rear seat belt was securing the rear control stick. The pilot subsequently departed in the airplane on runway 13 at the Mandan Municipal Airport (Y19), near Mandan, North Dakota. The takeoff was a 3-point takeoff and the airplane subsequently had a steep climb. The airplane descended, impacted terrain, and a ground fire occurred.
The pilot held an FAA private pilot certificate and a third-class medical certificate.
N836JC was a two-seat, low-wing, tailwheel airplane with fixed-gear. The airplane was equipped with tandem seats and tandem flight controls.
FAA inspectors subsequently examined and documented the wreckage site. Sections of the inboard left wing, inboard right wing, the engine, and sections of the fuselage were thermally damaged consistent with a ground fire. The left side of the airplane was more thermally damaged than the right side and the nearby windsock indicated the wind present was blowing across the airplane to its left. The trim tab on the left elevator was displaced downward, which is consistent with nose up trim. The interior in the cockpit was discolored, deformed, and charred. Webbing for the seat belts was not identified in the charred cockpit.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Vans
Registration: N836JC
Model/Series: RV8 Undesignated
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: Yes
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KY19,1946 ft msl
Observation Time: 13:55 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C /17°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 18 knots / , 130°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Mandan, ND (Y19)
Destination: Stanton, ND (PVT)
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 46.768054,-100.894447 (est)
Joel Todd Pfliger, 57, Hazen, was born March 3, 1963, to Clem and Betty Pfliger, joining his sister, Kari, to complete the family. His life came to an abrupt end on Saturday, June 13, 2020. His plane crashed during routine take off and he died instantly.
Joel always loved farming and spent many hours with his farm toys, making fields in the front yard. When he went off to college at UND, his most cherished picture was of dad, the dog and the Versatile tractor. He was a member of the Phi Delta fraternity. Joel graduated as a mechanical engineer and worked at Dakota Gasification Company north of Beulah for 24 years until he retired in 2012.
Besides his engineering career, Joel was a full time farmer and took the reins at the family farm in the 90s. With all that work, Joel did not have a lot of time for socializing, but he followed his passion for planes and flying, getting his pilot's license shortly after he started working at the gas plant. He was part owner of a couple different planes during that time. His first mission was to get recertified and buy his Cetabria. He flew constantly, taking great delight in giving rides and exploring the area from the sky. Through flying, Joel made many new friends, attending fly-ins around the area and having coffee nearly every Saturday with his pilot friends at what he lovingly referred to as OGC – Old Guy Coffee.
Hunting was always a big part of Joel's life, hunting with his dad, uncles and cousins as he grew up and then with his many friends. His lifelong love of wildlife and the outdoors led him to make many new friends and renew old friendships after he retired. His friend, Stan, drug him out of hiding and he never went back. One of Joel's favorite activities was gathering with friends at Swanny's shop, playing bags and making memories. Everyone knows you can't hunt pheasants without a great dog, so along came Buddy, who was the best dog ever. Rocko came along last fall and gave Joel tremendous pleasure with his antics and bright personality.
Joel's love of travel really kicked into high gear in the last ten years, taking him on numerous trips with his nephew, Ross, and cousins Al and Peg Sutherland, and his nearly annual trip to Oshkosh with cousin Scott Sutherland. Travels included trips to Ireland, Scotland and Norway, as well as Canada and the US and a memorable trip to New Orleans with Steve, Kari and Ross. He had an ongoing list of places he planned to visit.
Family always came first for Joel and he seldom missed a chance to spend time with aunts, uncles and cousins, talking, laughing and frying fleishkuechle. Joel was well known for his warmth and caring and his ability to see a need and volunteer to help in any way he could, whether it be assisting an ailing neighbor with harvest or helping a young farmer get on his feet or blowing snow. He was honored to mentor young people and foster their own love of farming, hunting or flying.
Leaving behind those who loved him best, his sister, Kari and her husband, Steve Huber; nephews, Scott, Ross and Trevor Huber; as well as his uncle, Jim (Lee) Pfliger; aunt, Dorothy Lang; and numerous cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three infant brothers; as well as his grandparents and many other dear family members.
Memorials can be directed to the Dakota Territory Air Museum in Minot or to the charity of your choice.
Arrangements conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.
Federal officials investigating a fatal plane crash at the Mandan Municipal Airport on June 13th say a witness noticed before takeoff that a seat belt was securing the small plane’s rear control stick.
The preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board does not speculate on whether that might have contributed to the June 13th crash, but aviation experts say the setup would have been problematic if the pilot didn’t address it.
Joel Pfliger, 57, a Stanton-area farmer and former gas plant worker, died when his homebuilt plane crashed after takeoff that Saturday afternoon. He was flying home, in clear conditions, according to the report.
The Van's RV-8 plane burned and was destroyed, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The plane is a two-seat, single-engine aircraft made for aerobatics that is built from a kit, according to the Van's Aircraft website. Pfliger was alone in the plane and died at the scene.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash. The agency recently issued its preliminary report, which is essentially a statement of facts about the crash. A final report that will include details about the suspected cause will come later. Such investigations typically take months and sometimes years.
The preliminary report states that “a witness observed the airplane on the ramp prior to the flight and advised the pilot that the rear seat belt was securing the rear control stick. The pilot subsequently departed in the airplane ... and the airplane subsequently had a steep climb. The airplane descended, impacted terrain, and a ground fire occurred.”
Securing a control stick with a seat belt in such planes is not uncommon.
“Some airplanes have control locks that lock the flight controls in place when the plane is parked in order to prevent wind damage. In some airplanes that lack control locks, it is common to use the seat belts to hold the flight controls in place for this purpose,” University of North Dakota professor and Aviation Department Chairman Brett Venhuizen told the Tribune. “The control lock, or the seat belt if used as a control lock, must be removed/released prior to flight.”
The NTSB report does not answer if Pfliger did so, and the report states "webbing for the seat belts was not identified in the charred cockpit."
The report does not identify the witness. Mandan Municipal Airport Manager Jim Lawler said he did not know who it was. Lawler said it was not him, and that about a dozen people work at the facility.
The Van's RV-8 has a front seat and a rear seat, with a set of controls that can be operated from either seat.
“If you were to depart with the rear control stick secured like that, that would cause an accident,” said Torin Walhood, a UND-trained airline pilot who also has worked as a flight instructor.
Pfliger was an experienced pilot -- he had been flying for about two dozen years and "flew constantly," according to an obituary published by the family. Family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the NTSB report.
The pilot who died in the crash of a small airplane at the Mandan Municipal Airport last weekend was a Stanton-area farmer and former gas plant worker.
Police on Thursday identified the victim as Joel Pfliger, 57. He died about 1:45 p.m. Saturday when his homebuilt aircraft crashed after takeoff. The Van's RV-8 experimental aircraft burned and was destroyed in the incident, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Pfliger was alone in the Van's RV-8 and died at the scene.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash. The agency had not yet issued a preliminary report as of Thursday evening.
Pfliger was a full-time farmer and a mechanical engineer who worked at Dakota Gasification Co. north of Beulah for 24 years until retiring in 2012, according to an obituary published by the family.
He was a University of North Dakota graduate and a hunting enthusiast. He got his pilot's license shortly after he started working at the gas plant and "flew constantly," according to the family. He attended fly-ins around the area, went on numerous trips with family members and made a nearly annual trip to Oshkosh, Wis., which hosts a yearly air show that draws thousands of planes and hundreds of thousands of people.
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