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19970419006179A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Boeing N2S-4 · Apex, NC · April 19, 1997

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Date
April 19, 1997 · 12:00 local
Place
Apex, NC
Phase of flight
Descent
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N61S
Reported as
Boeing N2S4
Reported engine
Continental W6706A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
987 total917 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days
N61SRegistered now · Boeing N2S-4S/N 75-3706 · Built 1941Airframe modelBoeing N2S-4Engine modelContinental W670 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Performed loop form 30 ft AGL. Did not have enough altitude to complete the manuver and impacted water. (-23) on April 20, 1997, at 1200 pm edst, a Boeing stearman N2S1, registration number N61S, registered to and flown by james r. caudell, age 70, who occupied the rear pilot's seat, crashed in lake jordan, north carolina. His son-in-law, scott w. voge. Age 33, who occupied the front seat, was fatally injured as well as Mr. Caudill. Mr caudell had been flying for ten years. The flight originated from kennebec, NC the same day about 1100AM. Witnesses observed the aircraft approach the bridge at us highway 64 flying north over the bridge and descend to about 30 feet above the smooth water. A loop aerobatic maneuver was initiated one mile north of the bridge. The biplane attempted to pull out of the back side of the loop but impacted the water at 45 degrees in a nose down attitude. Witnesses saw the aircraft intact. It appeared to be normal and the engne operating under power. Both pilots had seat belts and shoulder harnesses on. However, both of the pilots' heads smashed the instrument panels indicating that the shoulder harnesses were not tight. The aircraft sank in 20 feet of water. Rescue teams were on scene within a few minutes and had to cut the pilots' shoulder straps in order to recover the bodies from the submerged aircraft. Autopsies and chemical substance tests were performed at unc medical center. Initial verbal reports indicate negative alcohol or drugs for both pilots.

As the FAA filed it

PERFORMED LOOP FORM 30 FT AGL. DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO COMPLETE THE MANUVER AND IMPACTED WATER. (-23) ON APRIL 20, 1997, AT 1200 PM EDST, A BOEING STEARMAN N2S1, REGISTRATION NUMBER N61S, REGISTERED TO AND FLOWN BY JAMES R. CAUDELL, AGE 70, WHO OCCUPIED THE REAR PILOT'S SEAT, CRASHED IN LAKE JORDAN, NORTH CAROLINA. HIS SON-IN-LAW, SCOTT W. VOGE. AGE 33, WHO OCCUPIED THE FRONT SEAT, WAS FATALLY INJURED AS WELL AS MR. CAUDILL. MR CAUDELL HAD BEEN FLYING FOR TEN YEARS. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM KENNEBEC, NC THE SAME DAY ABOUT 1100AM. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT APPROACH THE BRIDGE AT US HIGHWAY 64 FLYING NORTH OVER THE BRIDGE AND DESCEND TO ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE SMOOTH WATER. A LOOP AEROBATIC MANEUVER WAS INITIATED ONE MILE NORTH OF THE BRIDGE. THE BIPLANE ATTEMPTED TO PULL OUT OF THE BACK SIDE OF THE LOOP BUT IMPACTED THE WATER AT 45 DEGREES IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT INTACT. IT APPEARED TO BE NORMAL AND THE ENGNE OPERATING UNDER POWER. BOTH PILOTS HAD SEAT BELTS AND SHOULDER HARNESSES ON. HOWEVER, BOTH OF THE PILOTS' HEADS SMASHED THE INSTRUMENT PANELS INDICATING THAT THE SHOULDER HARNESSES WERE NOT TIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT SANK IN 20 FEET OF WATER. RESCUE TEAMS WERE ON SCENE WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AND HAD TO CUT THE PILOTS' SHOULDER STRAPS IN ORDER TO RECOVER THE BODIES FROM THE SUBMERGED AIRCRAFT. AUTOPSIES AND CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE TESTS WERE PERFORMED AT UNC MEDICAL CENTER. INITIAL VERBAL REPORTS INDICATE NEGATIVE ALCOHOL OR DRUGS FOR BOTH PILOTS.