Accident de Havilland DH.115 Vampire T Mk 55 N4861K,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 190230
 
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Date:Friday 16 September 2016
Time:17:15
Type:Silhouette image of generic VAMP model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
de Havilland DH.115 Vampire T Mk 55
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N4861K
MSN: 186
Year of manufacture:1956
Engine model:AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Reno-Stead Airport, NV -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Demo/Airshow/Display
Departure airport:Rottnest Island Airport, WA (RTS/YRTI)
Destination airport:Rottnest Island Airport, WA (RTS/YRTI)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Narrative:
The airline transport pilot reported that, during an air race flight, he heard a “loud bang,” followed by wind noise and wind entering the cockpit. The pilot immediately aborted the race by pitching the airplane up and reducing power to idle, at which point he noticed that the right side of the canopy was fractured. The pilot added that he noted throughout the climb and orbit that all engine gauges displayed normal indications as he set up for landing. As the pilot established on the downwind leg for his intended runway, he advanced the power lever and realized the engine had lost power. The pilot realized that the airplane was not going to be able to reach any of the runways, so he chose to land in the open desert north of the airport. He conducted an engine restart procedure without success. Subsequently, the pilot initiated a forced landing with the landing gear and flaps in the retracted position.
A majority of the right canopy window was fractured from the frame. The aft canopy frame had deformation damage as did the airplane structure above and aft of the upper portion of the right seat. Postaccident examination of the canopy and the reconstructed right window (about 79% of the window was identified and reconstructed) revealed no evidence of any preexisting crazing, scratching, or other anomalies that would have contributed to the fracture of the right canopy. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Neither the reason for the fractured canopy nor the engine failure could be determined.

Probable Cause: The in-flight failure of the canopy and subsequent loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: WPR16LA181
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 4 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N4861K

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
18-Sep-2016 18:06 RG1967 Added
18-Sep-2016 18:50 Geno Updated [Aircraft type, Cn, Location, Source]
21-Sep-2016 05:43 Anon. Updated [Embed code]
21-Sep-2016 05:43 harro Updated [Embed code]
01-Oct-2016 12:20 Aerossurance Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
01-Dec-2017 16:39 Antoin Daltún Updated [Source, Narrative]
07-Feb-2018 13:49 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative]
10-Jan-2020 21:00 stehlik49 Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Narrative, Operator]
07-Nov-2023 08:12 nhofmann54 Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage]

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