ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 293650
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Sunday 23 May 2004 |
| Time: | 13:00 LT |
| Type: |  Steem Skybolt |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N25BM |
| MSN: | S-BM-001 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Altus, Oklahoma -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Altus Municipal Airport, OK (AXS/KAXS) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was performing aerobatic maneuvers when he noticed the fabric on the top right wing was separating and departing the airplane. The pilot reduced the engine power, airspeed, and altitude, and then returned to the airport. Examination of the airplane revealed the wing rib stitching had failed, and approximately 5 feet of the top right wing fabric and approximately 3 feet of the top right wing lower fabric was separated. According to a fabric manufacturer technical bulletin, "When light weight fabric is installed on an aircraft with a high horsepower engine and inadequate fabric forming structural spacing, coating fatigue cracks develop very rapidly...We recommend fabric weighing less than 2.4 [ounces] per [square yard] be used only on aircraft with engines up to 145 [horsepower]." The fabric covering weight on the airplane was 1.7 ounces per square yard, and the airplane was equipped with a 300-horsepower engine.
Probable Cause: The partial in-flight separation of the wing fabric and rib structure due to an inadequate material installed by the airplane builder.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB FTW04LA148
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 8 November 2009 | N6644 | Private | 2 | Near Altus/Quartz Mountain Regional Airport, OK | |
w/o |
| Loss of control | ||||||
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Oct-2022 10:05 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation