19970721045699A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr Renegadespit · Boonsboro, MD · July 21, 1997

Date: July 21, 1997 · 19:10 local
Place: Boonsboro, MD
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N416RS
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD97LA102
Reported as: Amtr Renegadespit
Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX582
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 300 total

N416RSRegistration cancelled Jan 19, 2018 · Lardas Nicholas D RENEGADE SPIRITS/N 0136 · Built 1995 Airframe modelLardas Nicholas D RENEGADE SPIRIT Engine modelBombardier ROTAX (ALL)Reciprocating

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.

Witnesses watched as the pilot/owner maneauvered his homebuilt airplane at a low altitude. Some witnesses reported the engine sounds stopped before impact. The airplane's nose dropped down and it descended until ground impact and was destroyed during a post crash fire. Witnesses reported observing the airplane on numerous other occasions performing low level meaneuvering. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal an anomalies. The propeller blades were not damaged. Toxicological tests revealed a blood-alcohol level of .049 percent and a vitreous fluid-alcohol level of .055 percent. Federal aviation regulation (FAR) 91.17 stated: (a) no person may act or attempt to act as a crew member of a civil aircraft...(4) while having .04 percent by weight or more alcohol in the blood.

As the FAA filed it

WITNESSES WATCHED AS THE PILOT/OWNER MANEAUVERED HIS HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE AT A LOW ALTITUDE. SOME WITNESSES REPORTED THE ENGINE SOUNDS STOPPED BEFORE IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE DROPPED DOWN AND IT DESCENDED UNTIL GROUND IMPACT AND WAS DESTROYED DURING A POST CRASH FIRE. WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRPLANE ON NUMEROUS OTHER OCCASIONS PERFORMING LOW LEVEL MEANEUVERING. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL AN ANOMALIES. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE NOT DAMAGED. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS REVEALED A BLOOD-ALCOHOL LEVEL OF .049 PERCENT AND A VITREOUS FLUID-ALCOHOL LEVEL OF .055 PERCENT. FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATION (FAR) 91.17 STATED: (A) NO PERSON MAY ACT OR ATTEMPT TO ACT AS A CREW MEMBER OF A CIVIL AIRCRAFT...(4) WHILE HAVING .04 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OR MORE ALCOHOL IN THE BLOOD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB IAD97LA102Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportBoonsboro, MDThe pilot's failure to maintain control of his homebuilt airplane during a low level maneuver after a loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the pilot's alcohol impairment.Jul 21, 1997 · Destroyed