ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 59710
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: | Monday 27 April 2009 |
| Time: | 16:45 |
| Type: | Explorer Aeronautique Inc. Ecoflyer |
| Owner/operator: | Explorer Aeronautique Inc |
| Registration: | C-IOFL |
| MSN: | CQS08R1 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2008 |
| Engine model: | Bombardier Rotax |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Near Hatch Lake, Eaton, New York State -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Norwich, NY (OIC) |
| Trois-Rivieres, (CYRQ) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was the designer and manufacturer of the experimental accident airplane, a prototype that he intended to begin producing and selling. He had flown to an aircraft trade show to display the airplane and was returning to his home airport when he encountered turbulent winds. He landed at a nearby airport and then departed again about 2 hours later. Approximately 15 minutes after departure, the left wing separated from the airplane. Postaccident examination of portions of the composite left wing, left wing strut, and tubular metal undercarriage revealed the separation of the left wing likely initiated at the inboard attachments to the fuselage. The structure of the left wing fractured around the aluminum plates connecting the spar to the strut, allowing the strut and wing to separate. At the upper end of the left wing strut, the protruding aluminum bar stock and the two aluminum plates connecting it to the wing spar were bent down and forward. The steel plates connecting the inboard end of the bar stock to the lower fuselage frame had residual deformation showing displacement aft and nose-down twisting, with some cracking in the welds. The bar stock adjacent to the fracture retained residual deformation indicating that the fracture occurred under downward bending at the outboard end. The steel plates connecting the bottom end of the right strut to the lower fuselage frame had residual deformation showing displacement forward and nose-down twisting. Additionally, the construction of the undercarriage displayed several areas susceptible to fatigue cracking, including holes drilled through the metal undercarriage tubes. The foreign airworthiness certification process for the airplane required no inspection, other than self-certification from the pilot/manufacturer, prior to issuance of an airworthiness certificate.
Probable Cause: The in-flight separation of the left wing due to failure of one of the inboard attachments to the fuselage.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Apr-2009 20:59 | slowkid | Added |
| 28-Apr-2009 23:58 | slowkid | Updated |
| 29-Apr-2009 12:50 | harro | Updated |
| 23-May-2010 11:38 | harro | Updated [Time, Destination airport, Source] |
| 18-Oct-2010 13:43 | Anon. | Updated [[Time, Destination airport, Source]] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 01-Dec-2017 18:53 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, 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