Wirestrike Accident Aero-Vodochody L-39 Albatros N39WT,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 145712
 
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Date:Friday 18 May 2012
Time:12:15
Type:Silhouette image of generic L39 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Aero-Vodochody L-39 Albatros
Owner/operator:Mach 1 Aviation
Registration: N39WT
MSN: 132127
Year of manufacture:1981
Total airframe hrs:2459 hours
Engine model:Ivchenko AL-25TL
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:0.5nm West of Boulder City Municipal Airport - KBVU, Boulder City, NV -   United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature:Executive
Departure airport:Boulder City, NV (BVU)
Destination airport:Boulder City, NV (BVU)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Upon arrival at the airport, the pilots of the accident airplane and of another airplane flying at the same time briefed the passengers on what to expect during their adventure flight, and they subsequently began the first of four planned flights. The first two flights were uneventful. The accident occurred during the third flight of the day.

A review of the UNICOM radio communications revealed that, shortly after the airplanes took off, the accident pilot announced, "canopy, canopy." The lead airplane pilot asked the accident pilot if he was heading back; the accident pilot's response could not be understood. The accident airplane subsequently made a right descending turn and impacted a berm in desert terrain at a high descent rate and then bounced about 200 feet before coming to rest about a 1/2 mile from the airport. The airplane came to rest between two sets of power lines next to an access road. First responders to the accident site reported that both of the airplane's canopies were closed and that the engine remained running for about 20 minutes before it shut down on its own.

A postaccident examination of the airplane, engine, and forward and aft canopies revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. If one of the canopies had somehow become displaced, the canopy illumination warning light would have activated, and the pilot should have followed the emergency procedures, which state, in part, to land as soon as practical, and likely would have been able to control the airplane and land. The reason for the pilot's radio transmission about the canopy and his initiation of a right descending turn could be determined.
Probable Cause: An in-flight emergency followed by a collision with terrain for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe, engine, and forward and aft canopies revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: WPR12FA216
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years and 3 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
18-May-2012 15:48 gerard57 Added
18-May-2012 23:17 Geno Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
18-May-2012 23:32 Geno Updated [Time, Source]
19-May-2012 02:58 gerard57 Updated [Aircraft type]
19-May-2012 05:39 Anon. Updated [Source]
20-May-2012 06:14 Alpine Flight Updated [Aircraft type]
19-Jun-2012 22:19 Geno Updated [Time, Operator, Nature, Source, Narrative]
04-Sep-2014 08:57 Aerossurance Updated [Location, Narrative]
21-Dec-2016 19:28 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
27-Nov-2017 20:42 ASN Update Bot Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]

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