ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 213182
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 12 July 2018 |
| Time: | 10:42 |
| Type: | Rutan Defiant |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N17DR |
| MSN: | 7007 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2004 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 286 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-D3G |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Plainville-Robertson Field Airport, CT (4B8) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Plainville, CT (4B8) |
| Plainville, CT (4B8) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The private pilot, who was one of the builders of the twin-engine, experimental, amateur-built airplane, was conducting a local flight in the airport traffic pattern. A wing-mounted camera captured the ground operations and accident flight. After seemingly normal engine start and runup checks, the pilot departed to the north, remaining in the airport traffic pattern for a subsequent landing. While over the runway threshold on landing approach, he initiated a go-around. The airplane climbed left of the runway centerline, then entered a steep, descending left turn at varying angles of bank, some exceeding 60º. The airplane continued to descend in an erratic manner until it impacted the ground.
An examination of the aircraft systems and engines revealed no evidence of a preimpact anomaly or failure. There was ample fuel on board for the flight. The forward engine wooden propeller showed evidence of rotational damage. Although the aft engine propeller was generally undamaged, the crash dynamics and the aft mounting of the propeller assembly likely shielded it from damage during impact. Although conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power, an electronic engine monitor showed no evidence of a loss of engine power, nor did a sound spectrum study of the wing-mounted camera audio.
Autopsy and toxicology testing of the pilot revealed no evidence of physiological impairment or incapacitation, and the reason for the pilot's erratic and aggressive maneuvering after the go-around could not be determined.
Probable Cause: The pilot's loss of airplane control during climb for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=17DR
Location
Media:
FAA: A Rutan Defiant aircraft crashed south of Robinson Field in Plainville, CT at about 10:45 a.m. today. Check with local authorities on the condition of the pilot, the only person on board. The FAA will investigate and the NTSB will determine the probable cause @WFSBnews pic.twitter.com/4q2S9yZmik
— Jennifer Lee (@JenLeeTV) July 12, 2018
UPDATE: Police have identified the pilot killed in the #Plainville plane crash this morning. More on Ch. 3 starting at 5pm https://t.co/xalT1ImOQm pic.twitter.com/I3dsvSkLyi
— WFSB Channel 3 (@WFSBnews) July 12, 2018
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Jul-2018 18:20 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 12-Jul-2018 18:22 | harro | Updated [Location, Nature] |
| 12-Jul-2018 18:39 | Geno | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Jul-2018 18:44 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Jul-2018 18:46 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Embed code] |
| 22-May-2020 09:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
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