# Accident 19991004031829A: Amtr RANSS10, Benton, KS, October 4, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 4, 1999, 18:15 local time - Place: Benton, KS - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.7808° N, 97.1001° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7808&lon=-97.1001&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7868G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7868G-2000-01-31) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Draper Robert S-10 (registry code 0561869, https://openairdocs.org/model/draper-robert-s-10) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR RANSS10 - Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX582 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 176 total, 88 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI00LA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI00LA004) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991004031829A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON OCTOBER 4, 1999, AT 1815 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A DRAPER RANS S-10, N7868G, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND AFTER A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED BENTON AIRPORT (1K1), BENTON, KANSAS, AT 1800 CDT ON A LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND REGISTERED OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE, AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED SECOND PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. (.4)A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE FOR ABOUT ONE OR TWO SECONDS BEFORE THE AIRPLANE WENT BEHIND A 20 TO 30 FOOT CREST IN THE ROAD. THE AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND IT WAS IN A NOSEDIVE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN ABOUT A 30 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, COCKPIT, AND LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS WERE CONSUMED BY FIRE AFTER IMPACT. THE EMPENNAGE REMAINED INTACT AND ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE. THE INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME AND ALL CABLES WERE STILL INTACT. CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE CARBURETORS AND IGNITION SYSTEM WERE CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT ANOMALIES. THE PROPELLER BLADE THAT WAS FOUND FORWARD OF THE ENGINE WAS SEPARATED FROM THE HUB AND IT EXHIBITED THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS: NO CHORDWISE SCRATCHING, NO DENTS OR NICKS IN THE LEADING EDGE, AND NO BLADE TWIST. THE COMPOSITE BLADE STRANDS THAT WERE ATTACHED TO THE BLADE HUB WERE SEPARATED AND BENT FORWARD OF THE HUB, AND NOT ANGLED OPPOSITE THE PLANE OF ROTATION. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN THE AIRPLANE ONE HOUR WITHIN THE LAST FIVE MONTH (.4) CONT'D WITHIN THE LAST FIVE MONTHS. THE TOXICOLOGY REPORT INDICATED THE PILOT HAD 10 TIMES THE NORMAL DOSE OF EPHEDRINE DETECTED IN THE BLOOD. EPHEDRINE IS USED AS A STIMULANT, WEIGHT LOSS PRODUCT, DECONGESTANT, OR ASTHMA MEDICATION. (-23) THE AMATEUR BUILT RANS S-10 A/C WAS REPORTED BURNING IN A FIELD AT APPROX. 1815 CDT TO THE BUTLER COUNTY KANSAS SHERIFF'S OFFICE ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1999. THE TWO OCCUPANTS WERE CERTIFICATED PILOTS AND BOTH RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE A/C WAS OBSERVED TO DEPART BENTON AIRPORT (1K1), BENTON, KS AT APPROX. 1800 CDT FOR WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE A PLEASURE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT. INVESTIGATION OF THE WRECKAGE HAS NOT REVEALED MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS, ALTHOUGH EVIDENCE INDICATES THE PROPELLER WAS NOT TURNING AT THE TIME OF 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 CHI00LA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI00LA004), Oct 4, 1999: Draper Rans S-10 (N7868G), Benton, KS, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane. Factors relating to the accident was the undetermined loss of power and the pilot's lack of recent experience in the airplane. ## Other reports on N7868G (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19911023053169I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19911023053169I), Oct 23, 1991: Amtr S10 (N7868G), Wisconsin Rapid, WI, Minor damage. Engine failed on climbout. Forced landing in field. Aircraft nosed over. Crankshaft rod bearing had failed. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.