ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 175790
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 30 April 2015 |
| Time: | 12:57 |
| Type: |  Zenair STOL CH 701 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N95MH |
| MSN: | 001 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2009 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 435 hours |
| Engine model: | Rotax 912 ULS-2 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Las Animas County, NW of Trinidad, CO -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The noncertificated pilot was conducting a personal flight in the experimental amateur-built airplane. A witness reported seeing the airplane circling overhead about 200 to 300 ft above ground level. According to the witness, the airplane's engine was running normally. The witness reported that during the third circle, the airspeed was low, the wings were level, and the pilot was turning the airplane using only the rudder. The witness heard the engine noise stop, and the airplane "flipped over to the left" and descended in a nose-down attitude to ground impact.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller blades displayed no evidence of rotational damage, indicating that the engine was not producing power at ground impact. An engine run was conducted, and the engine started and ran smoothly. Although it is possible that the uncoordinated (wings level) turns the pilot was making caused fuel to move away from the fuel tank ports resulting in fuel starvation, the reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
The pilot did not hold any type of pilot certificate, a medical certificate, or a valid driver's license and his flight time is unknown. It is likely that as the pilot maneuvered the airplane at a low altitude, he allowed the airspeed to decay to the point of exceeding the wing's critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Further, it is likely that the pilot was lacking in flight training and experience, which prevented him from maintaining control of the airplane. Toxicological testing identified diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine, in the pilot's blood and urine, but the pilot's decision to perform turns at low altitude was likely not due to the effects of diphenhydramine.
Probable Cause: The noncertificated pilot's failure to maintain airspeed following a loss of engine power while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in the airplane's wing exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=95MH
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-May-2015 01:39 | Geno | Added |
| 01-May-2015 15:50 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 02-May-2015 11:57 | Alpine Flight | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Damage] |
| 02-May-2015 14:55 | Alpine Flight | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Damage] |
| 07-May-2015 03:52 | Geno | Updated [Source] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:30 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 01-Dec-2017 13:01 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation