19970906028279A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr RANSS12 · Tuscola, IL · September 6, 1997

Date: September 6, 1997 · 10:30 local
Place: Tuscola, IL
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7304Q
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI97LA287
Reported as: Amtr RANSS12
Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX503
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 103 total

N7304QRegistration cancelled Apr 12, 1999 · Higgins J R/Higgins B J RANS S-12 XLS/N 07950626 Airframe modelHiggins J R/Higgins B J RANS S-12 XL

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.

(.4) The pilot said that he and the passenger were maneuvering in the vicinity of the passenger's house. He said, 'at a cruise speed of 60 miles per hour and 6,000 RPM, at 500 feet above ground level (AGL) and a heading of 300-degrees, we entered a shallow right turn around the west side of the house. After passing the north side and heading down the east side of the house (heading approximately 150 to 180-degrees), we started to lose altitude.' The pilot lowered the nose and added full power. He then raised the nose to a level flight attitude, but the airplane continued to descend. 'At this point, impact with the ground was imminent.' Examination of the airplane revealed no anomaly. (-23) the pilot indicated that he was in a shallow right turn at 500 feet above ground, when the aircraft started descending. He added full power but was unable to arrest the descent prior to impact with the ground. The weather was good with light winds.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE PILOT SAID THAT HE AND THE PASSENGER WERE MANEUVERING IN THE VICINITY OF THE PASSENGER'S HOUSE. HE SAID, 'AT A CRUISE SPEED OF 60 MILES PER HOUR AND 6,000 RPM, AT 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) AND A HEADING OF 300-DEGREES, WE ENTERED A SHALLOW RIGHT TURN AROUND THE WEST SIDE OF THE HOUSE. AFTER PASSING THE NORTH SIDE AND HEADING DOWN THE EAST SIDE OF THE HOUSE (HEADING APPROXIMATELY 150 TO 180-DEGREES), WE STARTED TO LOSE ALTITUDE.' THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE AND ADDED FULL POWER. HE THEN RAISED THE NOSE TO A LEVEL FLIGHT ATTITUDE, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND. 'AT THIS POINT, IMPACT WITH THE GROUND WAS IMMINENT.' EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED NO ANOMALY. (-23) THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE WAS IN A SHALLOW RIGHT TURN AT 500 FEET ABOVE GROUND, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STARTED DESCENDING. HE ADDED FULL POWER BUT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE WEATHER WAS GOOD WITH LIGHT WINDS.

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 CHI97LA287Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTuscola, ILthe pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.Sep 6, 1997 · Destroyed