Monday, May 18, 2020

Challenger Special, N97KV: Accident occurred May 16, 2020 near Titan Field (TN23), Clarksville, Montgomery County, Tennessee

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

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

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Nashville, Tennessee


Location: Clarksville, TN
Accident Number: ERA20LA188
Date & Time: May 16, 2020, 09:20 Local
Registration: N97KV
Aircraft: VAUGHN Challenger
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On May 19, 2020, at 0920 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Challenger Special, N97KV, was involved in an accident near Titan Field (TN23), Clarksville, Tennessee. The commercial pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector, the pilot provided a written statement and discussed the accident with him. The pilot stated that he completed a 30-minute local flight and returned to TN23 for landing. He described the descent and the arrival over the river that ran perpendicular to the approach end of the landing runway, which had ponds bordering both sides at the departure end. The pilot said he planned a "tight" base turn and then a low approach down the turf runway to alert fisherman along runway's edge.

The pilot performed the descent, the approach, aligned his airplane with the runway and flew the length of the runway at a power setting of approximately "70 percent." At the completion of the low pass, and "2-3 seconds into the climb" the pilot said he noticed a "lack of climb performance with full power applied."

The pilot initially turned to avoid powerlines and trees at the departure end of the field but selected the trees as his forced landing site.

When asked about the performance and handling of the airplane, the pilot said "Everything was fine until …" he increased throttle for the climb.

The airplane was powered by a Rotax 503 50-horsepower that was not equipped with carburetor heat.

At 0956, the temperature recorded at Fort Campbell Army Airfield (KHOP) was 25°C, and the dew point was 20°C. Interpolation of an icing probability chart revealed that atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to "serious icing at descent power."

After the accident, continuity of the flight control system was confirmed by the FAA aviation safety inspector, and a successful post-accident engine run was performed on the airframe with no anomalies noted that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: VAUGHN
Registration: N97KV
Model/Series: Challenger Special 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
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: KHOP,571 ft msl 
Observation Time: 14:56 Local
Distance from Accident Site:
Temperature/Dew Point: 25°C /20°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 20000 ft AGL
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 6 knots / , 120°
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.01 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Clarksville, TN (TN23)
Destination: Clarksville, TN (TN23)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Minor 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor 
Latitude, Longitude: 36.494445,-87.321945 (est)

Loss of Control in Flight: Hughes 269A, N9020M; accident occurred March 10, 2018 in Jacksonville, Florida

View of damage to the main rotor and tail rotor drive system.
Federal Aviation Administration




Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida

Aviation Accident Final 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/N9020M


Location: Jacksonville, FL
Accident Number: GAA18CA159
Date & Time: 03/10/2018, 1430 EST
Registration: N9020M
Aircraft: HUGHES 269
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis

The helicopter pilot reported that he entered a practice autorotation and intended to terminate the maneuver to a hover. During the flare phase of the maneuver, he allowed the rotor rpm to decay. He increased collective and subsequently added power with throttle. The nose of the helicopter yawed to the right and simultaneously the fuselage rolled to the left. He applied left pedal, but the left skid struck rising terrain and the helicopter entered dynamic rollover.

The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor drive system and the tail rotor drive system.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm during a practice autorotation, which resulted in ground contact and a dynamic rollover.

Findings

Aircraft
Prop/rotor parameters - Not attained/maintained (Cause)

Personnel issues
Use of equip/system - Pilot (Cause)

Environmental issues
Mountainous/hilly terrain - Contributed to outcome

Factual Information

History of Flight

Autorotation
Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

Landing
Dynamic rollover

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 60, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land; Single-engine Sea
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Multi-engine; Airplane Single-engine
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 12/11/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 11/15/2017
Flight Time:  (Estimated) 12958 hours (Total, all aircraft), 301 hours (Total, this make and model), 88 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 31 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: HUGHES
Registration: N9020M
Model/Series: 269 A
Aircraft Category: Helicopter
Year of Manufacture: 1964
Amateur Built:No 
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 64-18188
Landing Gear Type: Skid
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 03/04/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1550 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 4093.8 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: HIO-360-B1A
Registered Owner: SKYPRO INDUSTRIES INC
Rated Power: 180 hp
Operator: SKYPRO INDUSTRIES INC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCRG, 41 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 3 Nautical Miles
Observation Time:1953 UTC 
Direction from Accident Site: 171°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling:None 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 7 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:/ None
Wind Direction: 140°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.03 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 21°C / 6°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Jacksonville, FL (CRG)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Jacksonville, FL (CRG)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1415 EST
Type of Airspace: Class D 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 30.387778, -81.524167 (est)

Cessna 140, N3725V: Incident occurred May 16, 2020 in Lubbock, Texas -and- Accident occurred July 04, 2019 in Reeves, Allen Parish, Louisiana

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Lubbock, Texas

May 16, 2020:  Aircraft ground looped on landing. 


https://registry.faa.gov/N3725V


Date: 16-MAY-20

Time: 19:00:00Z
Regis#: N3725V
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 140
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: MINOR
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: LUBBOCK
State: TEXAS

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

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Aviation Accident Factual 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/N3725V





Location: Reeves, LA
Accident Number: CEN19LA206
Date & Time: 07/04/2019, 1145 CDT
Registration: N3725V
Aircraft: Cessna 140
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial)
Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On July 4, 2019, about 1145 central daylight time, a Cessna 140 airplane, N3725V, was substantially damaged during a nose-over during a precautionary landing near Reeves, Louisiana. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The flight originated from the De Quincy Industrial Airpark (5R8), De Quincy, Louisiana, about 1120 with St Landry Parish Airport-Ahart Field (OPL), Opelousas, Louisiana, as the planned destination.

The pilot reported that he landed at 5R8 to get fuel and to take a break. He stated that he also filled the engine oil at this time. About 15 minutes after departing 5R8, he noticed that the engine oil pressure reading had dropped to about 0 pounds per square inch (psi) from 30 psi about a minute earlier. Using his electronic flight charts, the pilot determined that the nearest airport was 7 minutes away. Due to the wooded area over which the airplane was flying, the pilot elected to make a precautionary landing to a clearing nearby. During the precautionary landing the airplane's right wing strut struck a fence post, the airplane bounced a few times, and nosed over.

The airplane had substantial damage to the right wing strut, the vertical tail surfaces, and the engine mount. After examining the airplane after the accident the pilot found the oil dipstick loose from its proper location.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 22, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
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: Class 2 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 09/25/2018
Occupational Pilot:
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  445 hours (Total, all aircraft), 107 hours (Total, this make and model), 420 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 43 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 0 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N3725V
Model/Series: 140 Undesignated
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1948
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 15002
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/17/2019, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1451 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3645 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT:
Engine Model/Series: C90-12F
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 90 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:
Distance from Accident Site: 22 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1640 UTC
Direction from Accident Site: 260°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 2700 ft agl
Visibility:  
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 8 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 160°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C / 24°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: De Quincy, LA (5R8)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Opelousas, LA (OPL)
Type of Clearance: Unknown
Departure Time: 1120 CDT
Type of Airspace: Class G

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: 30.520833, -93.047500