Accident Briefs: May 2019
NTSB reports on recent accidents as published in the May 2019 issue of Plane & Pilot Magazine
NOTE: The reports republished here are from the NTSB and are printed verbatim and in their complete form.
RYAN NAVION
Jasper, Alabama/Injuries: 2 None
Before takeoff for the practice formation flight of four airplanes, the lead pilot briefed all the pilots on instructions for the formation changes. The flight began as a finger-four, heavy-left formation with a separation between the airplanes of about 80 ft. As the airplanes neared their destination, the lead pilot called for the flight to maneuver to "parade," and the airplanes closed the separation between them to about 40 ft. The lead pilot then called for the flight to change to an echelon-right formation. The two pilots in the trail airplanes left of the lead airplane began their maneuver to the right to position themselves behind the airplane that was already in position on the right side of the lead airplane. During this maneuver, the pilot in the airplane opposite the right-side airplane lost sight of that airplane due to sun glare, and they subsequently collided.Both airplane [sic] were able to land at the destination airport.
Probable cause(s): The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from another airplane in the formation flight due to sun glare.
MOONEY M20E
Glendale, California/Injuries: 2 minor
The private pilot and passenger had planned a round trip personal flight in the pilot's single-engine airplane. According to the pilot, he had wanted to service the airplane with fuel before the return leg, but he did not do so due to the passenger's desire to arrive home before a certain time. During the initial descent of the return leg, the engine lost total power. The pilot conducted a series of troubleshooting steps to no avail and then conducted a forced landing onto a residential street and struck trees.
Postaccident wreckage examination revealed that both fuel tanks were empty, and although the right fuel tank sustained a small breach during impact, there was no fuel odor at the accident site. A series of brown streaks were observed trailing from an area adjacent to the right-wing fuel sump drain. The sump valve sealant was badly degraded, and it is possible that a small fuel leak had developed at an undetermined time; however, blue streaking would have been more likely if a significant and recent fuel loss had occurred. Further examination revealed no leaks in the fuel supply system or engine. The engine tachometer was tested for accuracy, and no anomalies were noted. During an engine test run, the engine started normally and operated through its full speed range with no evidence of a mechanical anomaly.
The pilot had purchased the airplane 5 months before the accident and had been tracking fuel consumption since his purchase. He determined a representative fuel burn rate based on fuel purchases and engine tachometer hour-meter readings. The pilot reported that he did this because the fuel gauges were unreliable, and he did not possess a calibrated dipstick to measure the actual fuel quantities. Using his calculated fuel burn and tachometer reading method, the pilot estimated that he had enough fuel remaining to complete the flight and land with the Federal Aviation Administration-required 45-minute fuel reserve. However, he had performed multiple flights since the last fill up, which included one go-around and a full runway-length taxi earlier in the day. The total time for those flights was near the airplane's fuel endurance limit when measured by tachometer time, but the fuel consumption was likely higher due to the increased consumption demanded by the engine during the multiple takeoffs. It is likely that the pilot miscalculated the amount of fuel on board before the flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Probable cause(s): The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning and improper decision to not refuel before the flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22
Clearwater, Florida/Injuries: 1 Fatal
At the end of a personal cross-country flight, the private pilot terminated radar services with an air route traffic control center and entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 16 at an uncontrolled airport as a line of rain showers approached the airport. An airline transport pilot (ATP) who had just landed on the runway said that the wind was from 240° to 270° about 40 knots, and he had used full aileron deflection to maintain control. After the ATP landed, the wind increased, and it began to rain. The ATP knew the accident pilot was behind him in the traffic pattern and warned him over the radio about the wind. The pilot acknowledged and continued with the approach. When the accident airplane was over the runway, an airport employee heard the airplane's engine go to full power and saw the airplane in a vertical climb before it rolled left onto its back and descended out of view. The employee drove to the accident site and found that the airplane had crashed just east of the runway. A review of weather information indicated that a downburst/microburst/gust front was moving eastward across the airport at the time of the accident. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane or engine at the time of the accident. The airplane's flaps were observed at 100% (fully extended) postaccident. The airplane likely entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted the ground before the pilot was able to raise the flaps to 50%, as required during a go-around.
Probable cause(s): The pilot's decision to attempt to land while a line of rain showers with microburst activity was crossing the airport, which resulted in a loss of control during a subsequent attempted go-around.
NOTE: The reports republished here are from the NTSB and are printed verbatim and in their complete form.
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