ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 263028
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| Date: | Monday 24 May 2021 |
| Time: | 14:17 |
| Type: |  Dassault Mirage F1M |
| Owner/operator: | Draken International LLC |
| Registration: | N567EM |
| MSN: | 56 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4655 hours |
| Engine model: | Snecma ATAR 9K-50 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Nellis AFB (LSV/KLSV), Las Vegas, NV -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Las Vegas-Nellis AFB, NV (LSV/KLSV) |
| Las Vegas-Nellis AFB, NV (LSV/KLSV) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On May 24, 2021, about 1417 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Dassault Aviation Mirage F-1 Turbo-jet, N567EM, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Nellis Air Force Base, (LSV), Las Vegas, Nevada. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated by Draken International as a public-use aircraft in support of the United States Air Force’s simulated combat training.
The fighter jet airplane providing combat training support to the Department of Defense collided with terrain shortly after entering the final turn in the traffic pattern. The pilot was returning to the airport after completion of tactical area work. As the airplane began the final turn (a 180° turn to align with the runway), its airspeed was about 170 kts and slowing. Shortly after, the pilot reported that he was having a flap issue and the airplane's descent rate increased from 1,000 fpm to more than 3,000 fpm. The airplane's airspeed dropped to below the listed low-speed limitation without flaps (160 kts) for about the final 14 seconds of flight. The flight manual advises pilots to land at a speed between 195 and 215 kts if the flaps do not lower. At the last recorded data point, the airspeed was 135 kts and slowing. Shortly thereafter, the pilot initiated an ejection. The airplane subsequently struck terrain in a residential area and was consumed by a postimpact fire.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the flaps were likely not extended. During the preflight check of the slats and flaps, the leading-edge slats operated appropriately but the flaps did not initially extend during the first cycle of the check. The pilot was able to correct the issue and completed at least two additional cycles during the operational checks of the slats and flaps with no further issue. Whether this flap issue was a reoccurrence of the ground check anomaly, or another cause could not be determined due to the post-crash condition of the airplane and the absence of onboard recorded data.
Postaccident analysis of the bulb filament revealed that the airplane's master failure warning light was showing an amber light indication. Which annunciator caused the amber light to illuminate could not be determined but an amber light indication allowed for delayed action for the issue. If a red light was illuminated, it would call for immediate action. No additional evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane were observed.
Failure of the flaps to extend would require additional speed to compensate for the loss of lift, which would increase the airplane's turning radius. Because the traffic pattern's normal ground track is based on the airplane being configured with the flaps extended, a no-flap configuration would require the airplane to increase bank and angle of attack (AOA) to maintain the track. However, insufficient thrust was available to overcome the configuration issue and increased AOA. Under a failed flap scenario, the pilot would have needed to maintain adequate airspeed, AOA, and rolled out of bank and discontinued the final turn for an airplane configured with the flaps extended and then flown a traffic pattern ground track consistent with a no-flap configuration. The pilot likely maintained his ground track during the final turn in order to reduce the chance of conflict with potential landing traffic on the opposite runway if he rolled out of bank and pattern/airspace restrictions.
It is likely that the pilot initiated an ejection outside of the airplane's ejection seat minimum altitude ejection envelop due to the airplane's increased bank, decreased airspeed, low altitude, and sink rate.
Probable Cause: The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack on approach and failure to fly a traffic pattern track consistent with a no-flap configuration. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the airplane's flaps to extend while in the traffic pattern for an undetermined reason.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB WPR21FA203
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103137
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N567EM
https://photos.flightaware.com/photos/retriever/8faf2ddbf1e30b2b2c1416fbee35edbc6a51d68c (photo)
Location
Images:
Media:
A contractor-operated aircraft that took off from Nellis Air Force Base crashed at approximately 2:30 p.m. May 24 outside the southern edge of the base.
— Nellis Air Force Base (@NellisAFB) May 24, 2021
Multiple federal and local first responders are on scene.
The incident is under investigation.
Initial information from first responders indicated there was a fatality, but the Clark County Fire Department later said all details related to the crash would be released by Nellis Air Force Base. https://t.co/OrcIaOTsqc
— KSNV News 3 Las Vegas (@News3LV) May 24, 2021
LATEST: @DrewJandre is live at Christy Lane and Judson Avenue where officials are investigating an aircraft crash associated with Nellis Air Force Base. https://t.co/bwjafi3nMn pic.twitter.com/kXLMNZetB2
— FOX5 Las Vegas (@FOX5Vegas) May 24, 2021
The location of the crash is marked by the red dot just southwest of the runway threshold. https://t.co/Za18xVW2ZO pic.twitter.com/GnTgmPQGwJ
— Steve Trimble (@TheDEWLine) May 24, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-May-2021 22:13 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 24-May-2021 23:04 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 24-May-2021 23:05 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source, Embed code] |
| 24-May-2021 23:08 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Embed code] |
| 24-May-2021 23:11 | Aerossurance | Updated [Phase, Embed code] |
| 24-May-2021 23:18 | Captain Adam | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, Embed code] |
| 24-May-2021 23:25 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-May-2021 00:32 | Captain Adam | Updated [Total fatalities, Location, Narrative] |
| 25-May-2021 05:27 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source] |
| 25-May-2021 07:42 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 25-May-2021 07:48 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 25-May-2021 10:40 | gerard57 | Updated [Date] |
| 25-May-2021 14:50 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-May-2021 18:31 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative] |
| 26-May-2021 06:32 | Anon. | Updated [Source] |
| 26-May-2021 18:41 | Aerossurance | Updated [Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 03-Jun-2021 09:22 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code] |
| 14-Jun-2021 17:00 | Aerossurance | Updated [Phase, Narrative] |
| 30-Sep-2023 12:20 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [[Phase, Narrative]] |
| 30-Sep-2023 12:26 | harro | Updated [[[Phase, Narrative]]] |
| 01-Oct-2023 00:35 | Captain Adam | Updated [[[[Phase, Narrative]]]] |
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