Accident Stoddard-Hamilton Glasair III N121ST,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 38421
 
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Date:Sunday 27 October 1991
Time:10:09 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic GLAS model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Stoddard-Hamilton Glasair III
Owner/operator:Hacker, Steven W.
Registration: N121ST
MSN: 3157
Engine model:Lycoming IO-540-P1A5
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Scottsdale, AZ -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Mesa, AZ (KFFZ)
Destination airport:Alburquerque, NM
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
A GLASAIR III COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AFTER AN INFLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH KNOWN FORECAST ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER IFR. THE CFI/PIC STATED TO THE CONTROLLER THAT SHE WAS ENCOUNTERING AIRPLANE CONTROL PROBLEMS. THE CONTROLLER HEARD A COMMENT EMANATING FROM THE AIRPALNE ON THE TRACON FREQUENCY STATING 'LOSING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT' BEFORE RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. RAIN SHOWERS AND LIGHTNING WERE FORECASTED BY THE WX SERVICE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. A WITNESS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED, HIGH WINDS, RAIN SHOWERS AND LIGHTNING AT TIME OF ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR IFR FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE'S OWNER'S MANUAL PROHIBITED FLIGHT IN CONDITIONS THAT WOULD EXPOSE THE AIRPLANE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A LIGHTNING STRIKE. THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED SECOND PILOT WAS SEATED IN THE LEFT SEAT IN FRONT OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS. THE SECOND PILOT HAD NEVER FLOWN ACTUAL INSTRUMENTS AND HAD ONLY FLOWN 4 HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT.

Probable Cause: THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS DECISION TO FLY INTO KNOWN FORECAST WEATHER CONDITIONS SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITED BY THE AIRPLANE'S OWNER'S MANUAL AND DECISION TO ALLOW AN UNQUALIFIED PILOT WITH LIMITED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE TO OCCUPY THE LEFT SEAT BEHIND THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY RESULTED IN A INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE UNQUALIFIED PILOT.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX92LA026
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 6 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB LAX92LA026

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:23 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
11-Apr-2024 11:28 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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