ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 248349
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| Date: | Sunday 28 February 2021 |
| Time: | 12:30 |
| Type: |  Luscombe 8E |
| Owner/operator: | Registration Pending |
| Registration: | N2960K |
| MSN: | 5687 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1947 |
| Engine model: | Continental C90-12F |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Tailwinds Airport (FD15), Jupiter, FL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Tailwinds Airport, FL (FD15) |
| Tailwinds Airport, FL (FD15) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On February 28, 2021, at 1230 eastern standard time, a Luscombe 8E, N2960K, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Jupiter, Florida. The pilot was fatally injured and the pilot-rated passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.
A witness reported that the engine sounded “strong” when the pilot and pilot-rated passenger took off from the 2,700-ft paved runway. Video of the takeoff showed a normal takeoff near the midpoint of the runway followed by a level-off about 30 ft above the ground. About that time the sound produced by the engine reduced in what appeared to be an attempt to land on the remaining runway. As the airplane passed in front of the camera, the front left engine cowl could be seen open and flapping. As the airplane proceeded to fly down the runway, the engine power increased, and the airplane began to climb. The airplane’s wings rocked left and right as the airplane climbed over the end of the runway and turned left before disappearing out of the camera’s view toward nearby trees. The airplane subsequently impacted trees and terrain about 700 ft beyond and to the left of the departure end of the runway.
A postaccident examination of the airplane and test run of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane’s engine cowling fasteners were unlatched, but otherwise intact and undamaged. A performance study based on video and ADS-B data revealed that, after departure, the airplane entered a climbing left turn during which it slowed to a calculated calibrated airspeed near its published stall speed. The turn, combined with the low speed, likely resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. It is also likely that the engine cowling was not fully secured before the flight. Based on available information, it is likely that the pilot became distracted when the cowling opened during takeoff and did not maintain control of the airplane.
The pilot’s post-mortem toxicology results indicated that at some point prior to the flight he had used cannabis. However, the absence of any active parent drug (delta-9-THC) or active metabolite (11-hydroxy-delta-9-THC) indicated that it was very unlikely that he was impaired by any effects from his use at the time of the accident. The detected level of cetirizine (a sedating antihistamine) in the pilot’s specimens was below the blood level thought to cause symptoms, though because the specimens were from cavity blood, they may not accurately reflect antemortem levels. Therefore, whether the pilot was impaired by effects from cetirizine and whether those effects contributed to his failure to secure the cowling and his distraction during the takeoff could not be determined.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which led to an aerodynamic stall and loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane, resulting in an unsecured engine cowl that likely distracted the pilot during takeoff.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.wpbf.com/article/officials-investigating-plane-crash-in-jupiter/35669327
NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N2960K
https://photos-e1.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/40aa2138d1aea4c56a774c7edb718593206fff5f (photo)
Location
Images:
Photos: NTSB
Media:
Investigators on scene of small plane crash in the Tailwinds community in south Martin County. One confirmed fatality. NTSB has been notified and will be handling investigation. pic.twitter.com/KWygaPvdMZ
— MartinCountySheriff (@MartinFLSheriff) February 28, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Feb-2021 21:27 | Geno | Added |
| 28-Feb-2021 22:58 | Captain Adam | Updated [Total fatalities, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 01-Mar-2021 01:06 | Geno | Updated [Phase, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 01-Mar-2021 09:35 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Source] |
| 01-Mar-2021 13:58 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 01-Mar-2021 18:08 | Geno | Updated [Narrative] |
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