Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Quicksilver MX II, Unregistered: Accident occurred February 25, 2021 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi

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; Jackson, Mississippi 

Location: Hattiesburg, MS 
Accident Number: CEN21LA145
Date & Time: February 25, 2021, 16:30 Local 
Registration: UNREG
Aircraft: Quicksilver MXII
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On February 25, 2021, about 1630 eastern standard time, a Quicksilver MXII ultralight, unregistered, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Hattiesburg Mississippi. The airline transport pilot sustained serious injuries. The ultralight was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that after a 30-minute flight in the local area, the pilot maneuvered the ultralight for a landing to private property. While on the final approach, the engine ceased producing power as the pilot retarded the throttle. The pilot reported the engine was operating at about 4,000 rpm and the throttle was retarded to about 3,500 rpm. The pilot reported there was an adequate amount of fuel onboard at the time of the loss of engine power. Upon realizing the complete loss of engine power with the propeller windmilling, the pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a nearby field. While landing to the field, the right wing impacted a tree branch, which caused the ultralight to come to rest on the front of the fuselage. The pilot was able to egress from the ultralight without further incident. The ultralight sustained substantial damage to the right wing and to the fuselage.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector (ASI) traveled to the accident site to conduct documentation activities. Upon arrival to the accident site, the ASI found the rudder and fuel tank had already been removed from the airframe. The ASI observed that all the airframe identification decals appeared to have been removed for a long period of time. The ASI reported the pilot was not able to produce any sort of pilot’s operating handbook or maintenance records for the ultralight. The ASI was able to establish airframe control continuity. 

The ultralight had two occupant seats installed, a 6-gallon fuel tank installed, and was equipped with a Rotax 503 reciprocating engine. The pilot reported the ultralight was built at an unknown date in the 1980s, and he purchased the ultralight in 2003. The ultralight was not exempt under 14 CFR Part 103 Ultralight Vehicles and thus was required to be registered with the FAA and have an airworthiness certificate.

The wreckage was retained for a future examination of the engine.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Quicksilver
Registration: UNREG
Model/Series: MXII 
Aircraft Category: Ultralight
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KHBG,151 ft msl 
Observation Time: 15:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 11 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C /15°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots / , 20°
Lowest Ceiling: 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.13 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Hattiesburg, MS (PVT)
Destination: Hattiesburg, MS

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious 
Latitude, Longitude: 31.107809,-89.274323 (est)

3 comments:

  1. https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/FAA_Order_2150.3C.pdf

    Will be called upon again. Clear LSA, clear lack of registration and it was flying under the radar until it didn't.

    Hint: Mishaps in Aviation will *always* be high visibility. And not following rules by definition means a chance of mishap is meant to happen more often.

    And an ATP? seriously?

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    Replies
    1. When I was growing up in Florida we lived across the street from a National Airlines 727 captain who was a veteran Korean War Marine attack pilot flying F4U Corsairs. During one tour he actually had to put it down on a beach in friendly territory (I remember the photo on the wall of their home's office room).

      Well, when he retired, he thought it would be neat to buy an ultralight float plane (our little cul-de-sac was full of aviators and boater families including mine). He had it about three months and then one day was flying around the neighborhood and the engine quit. Being too far from the water when it happened, he had to put it down on a street full of power lines and caught one. Fortunately he survived with only a broken foot. The cause? A fuel leak that drained the tank. He apparently missed a simple C-clamp that had become loose so whatever fuel was left in the tube and carb was all he had left to burn.

      So the point is, yeah, even the most professional pilots can do stupid things no matter the experience.

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    2. Maintenance issues are one thing but flagrant violation of the regulations are another. Now the ATP certificate is in jeopardy and for what? A silly inspection and registration to EAB?

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