ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 264947
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| Date: | Wednesday 30 June 2021 |
| Time: | 04:50 |
| Type: | Earthstar Gull 2000 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N1712L |
| MSN: | 007 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2002 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 68 hours |
| Engine model: | HKS 700E |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Curtiss, WI -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Curtiss, WI |
| New Richmond Regional Airport, WI (KRNH) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On June 30, 2021, about 0450 central daylight time, an Earthstar Aircraft Gull 2000 experimental light-sport airplane, N1712L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Curtiss, Wisconsin. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot, who was not instrument rated, was departing on an early morning crosscountry flight. The airplane descended into trees and terrain near the departure airstrip. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the empennage, and the fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane.
Based on witness accounts and reviewed weather data, instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with dense fog and low clouds existed at the accident time. The airplane was not equipped for flight in IMC. The accident occurred about 8 minutes after civil twilight began and about 29 minutes before the official sunrise; it likely was still substantially dark as the flight departed toward the west and away from the rising sun.
It is likely the pilot had self-imposed pressure to depart on the round-trip flight in the early morning hours so he could return for work. Additionally, he likely became spatially disorientated shortly after takeoff when the airplane entered IMC, which resulted in his loss of airplane control and the unintentional descent into trees and terrain.
Toxicology testing detected low levels of ethanol in the pilot’s specimens; however, the identified ethanol was likely from a source other than ingestion and was not a factor in the accident.
Probable Cause: The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to depart into instrument meteorological conditions with dense fog and low clouds, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-imposed pressure to depart on the flight.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://wqow.com/2021/06/30/airplane-and-pilot-missing-after-leaving-curtiss-en-route-to-new-richmond/
https://www.weau.com/2021/06/30/plane-pilot-missing-after-taking-off-clark-co/
https://www.onfocus.news/pilot-missing-in-central-wisconsin/
NTSB
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103391
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N1712L
Location
Images:
Media:
NTSB is investigating the June 30, 2021, crash of an Earthstar Aircraft Gull 2000 near Curtiss, Wisconsin. An NTSB investigator is expected to arrive on scene Thursday.
— NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) July 1, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Jul-2021 11:07 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 01-Jul-2021 12:11 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 01-Jul-2021 12:21 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 30-Aug-2023 21:48 | Captain Adam | Updated [[Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]] |
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