ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 133226
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| Date: | Saturday 18 June 1994 |
| Time: | 16:04 LT |
| Type: |  Rans S-12 Airaile |
| Owner/operator: | Mascari, David M. |
| Registration: | N999 |
| MSN: | PAD0003 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 40 hours |
| Engine model: | MAZDA RX7 ROTARY |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Salinas, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | (KSNS) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT DISCOVERY S-12 AIRAILE INADVERTENTLY BECAME AIRBORNE DURING HIGH-SPEED TAXI TESTS. THE MECHANIC CONDUCTING THE TAXI TESTS WAS NOT A CERTIFICATED PILOT. HE CONTACTED THE TOWER AND INFORMED THEM OF HIS SUPRISE FLIGHT. WITHIN MOMENTS THE ENGINE FAILED, AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A NEARBY FIELD. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A STANDPIPE. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PROPELLER, MUFFLER, AND REDUCTION GEARBOX HAD SEPARATED BEFORE THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE STANDPIPE. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE MUFFLER FRACTURED AT A FACTORY WELD; THE FRACTURE EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF OXIDATION. THE MUFFLER THEN SEPARATED AS A RESULT OF NORMAL VIBRATION DURING OPERATION OF THE ENGINE. THE PROPELLER WAS DAMAGED AFTER THE MUFFLER STRUCK IT. THE DAMAGED PROPELLER WAS THEN OUT OF BALANCE, RESULTING IN THE REDUCTION GEARBOX SEPARATING FROM THE ENGINE.
Probable Cause: THE FAILURE OF THE MUFFLER ASSEMBLY DUE TO PREEXISTING CRACKING IN THE OXIDIZED AREA OF THE WELD, WITH SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE AND SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER AND REDUCTION GEAR BOX. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE EXCESSIVE TAXISPEED WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE BECOMING INADVERTENTLY AIRBORNE.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX94LA259
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 10-Apr-2024 06:43 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Plane category, Category, Accident report] |
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