ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 249447
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| Date: | Saturday 3 April 2021 |
| Time: | 17:35 |
| Type: | Magnus Fusion 212 |
| Owner/operator: | Magnus Aircraft Inc |
| Registration: | N434MA |
| MSN: | MF-212-16-0001 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2016 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 227 hours |
| Engine model: | Rotax 912 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Conifer, CO -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Colorado Air and Space Port, CO (CFO/KCFO) |
| Colorado Air and Space Port, CO (CFO/KCFO) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On April 3, 2021, about 1735 central daylight time, a Magnus Aircraft Fusion 212, N434MA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Conifer, Colorado. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot flew the light sport airplane toward a mountainous canyon while at low altitude. When the pilot attempted to turn away from rising terrain in the canyon, the airplane decelerated toward stall speed and impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude that was consistent with a stalled condition. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, empennage, and fuselage.
Density altitude at the accident site was 11,365 ft.
Post-accident examination of the airplane, as well as downloaded flight data, showed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot started flying about 3 years before the accident and was involved in 2 previous accidents and 4 pilot deviations that involved poor decision making and/or situational awareness.
Toxicology testing detected the stimulant amphetamine, the antidepressants bupropion and citalopram, and the chronic nerve pain medication gabapentin. Although these medications can negatively affect psychomotor performance, based on the pilot’s flying history and the circumstances of the accident, it is unlikely they were factors in the accident.
The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s decision to fly toward a canyon at low altitude in high density altitude conditions, and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering to avoid terrain, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s decision to fly at low altitude toward a mountainous canyon, and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering to avoid rising terrain, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/jefferson-county-missing-plane/73-48f7697b-fe54-48fd-82cc-8719edeb1f4d
https://gazette.com/news/pilots-fate-in-question-after-colorado-plane-crash/article_d825e8fc-9571-11eb-aa2d-bbc36ca25e0b.html
https://kdvr.com/news/local/search-teams-working-to-locate-missing-plane-in-jefferson-county/
NTSB
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N434MA
https://www.aircraft.com/aircraft/30918697/n434ma-2016-magnus-fusion-212 (photos)
http://www.magnusaircraftinc.com/
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Apr-2021 20:39 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 04-Apr-2021 22:29 | Captain Adam | Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 05-Apr-2021 07:30 | aaronwk | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Jul-2022 03:51 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Location, Phase, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, Photo] |
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