# Accident 19990522037179A: Amtr FLYBABY, Mount Olive, NC, May 22, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 22, 1999, 13:05 local time
- Place: Mount Olive, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1910° N, 78.0591° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1910&lon=-78.0591&mi=10
- Aircraft: N96MG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N96MG-2013-10-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Gardner Murray R JR FLYBABY (registry code 14101H2, https://openairdocs.org/model/gardner-murray-r-jr-flybaby) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR FLYBABY
- Reported engine: CONT A65*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,100 total, 40 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA092) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990522037179A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) THE PILOT RECALLED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED THROUGH 1700 FEET, THE LEFT WING ASSEMBLY CAME UP OVER THE COCKPIT AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE ALWAYS FLEW HIS AIRPLANE WEARING A PARACHUTE, AND AS THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A SPIN HE WAS EJECTED FROM THE COCKPIT. AFTER CLEARING THE AIRFRAME, THE PILOT PULLED THE RIPCORD TO DEPLOY THE PARACHUTE; A FULL PARACHUTE CANOPY WAS ACHIEVED 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME THE LEFT WING FLYING WIRE ATTACHMENT PLATE WAS LOCATED AND WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE FAILED. THE ATTACHMENT PLATE FRACTURE FACES WERE EXAMINED WITH AN OPTICAL MICROSCOPE AND WERE FOUND TO CONTAIN BANDING, TYPICAL OF FATIGUE CRACKING, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATTACHMENT HOLE. THE FATIGUE CRACKING PROPAGATED NEARLY THROUGH THE THICKNESS OF THE PLATE. ELEVATED OXYGEN PEAKS, INDICATIVE OF CORROSION DEPOSITS, WERE ALSO DISCOVERED. (-23)PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS IN A SLOW DESCENT WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD SNAP, THEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO ROLL VIOLENTLY.  HE STATED THAT THE LEFT WING CAME UP AND HIT THE FUSELAGE.  HE THEN RELEASED HIS SEAT BELT AND THE CENTRIF                                                                      UGAL FORCE THREW HIM FROM THE AIRCRAFT. HE TNE DEPLOYED HIS PARACHUTE AND LANDED SAFELY.  DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE LOWER AFT FLYWIRE BRACKET THAT ATTACHES TO THE WING WAS BROKEN.  PART OF THE FLYWIRE BRACKET WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE FLYWIRE.  ONE FLYWIRE ON THE RIGHT SIDE AT THE CLEVIS ATTACHMENT POINT WAS BROKE AND APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BROKEN FROM THE IMPACT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL99LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA092), May 22, 1999: Murray R. Gardner FLY Baby (N96MG), Mount Olive, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: A fatigue failure of the flywire bracket that resulted in the inflight separation of the left wing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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