# Accident 20000514009639A: Amtr VANSRV4, Apex, NC, May 14, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 14, 2000, 13:15 local time - Place: Apex, NC - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Climb - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.7328° N, 78.8497° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7328&lon=-78.8497&mi=10 - Aircraft: N45DR, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N45DR-2018-01-24) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Mclarty Glen E VANS RV-4 (registry code 05625ZJ, https://openairdocs.org/model/mclarty-glen-e-vans-rv-4) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR VANSRV4 - Reported engine: LYC IO360B1B - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA153) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000514009639A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON MAY 15, 2000 INSPECTOR^PRIVACY DATA OMI^AND MYSELF REPONDED TO AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT (45DR) AT BOBBY COX AIRPORT, APEX, NC. WITNESS STATEMENTS OF THE ACCIDENT REVEAL THAT ON MAY 14, 2000 AT APPROXIAMTELY 1200L,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK OFF FROM THE AIRFIELD WITH ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD AND DURING CLIMB OUT BANKED LEFT OVER THE TREE LINE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND ON THE PROPERTY OF^PRIVACY DATA OM^.^PRIVACY DATA OM^STATED THAT HE HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRE THEN SPUTTER 3 TIMES. ^PRIVACY DA^STATED THAT HE VISUALLY SAW THE AIRCRAFT COMING OVER THE TREES WITH A 45 DEGREES NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AND THAT HE DID NOT HEAR ANY ENGINE NOISE PRIOR TO IMPACT OF THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND WINGS LEVEL WITH THE FUSELAGE INTACT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^THAT WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE CRASH SITE, HE DETECTED THE SMELL OF FUEL AND TURNED OFF THE MASTER POWER AND MAGNETO SWITCHES. BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE TRANSPORTED FROM THE SCENE BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED TO THE AIRPORT PRIOR TO US ARRIVING ON SCENE. (.4)ON MAY 14, 2000, AT ABOUT 1315 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A MCLARTY VANS RV -4, N45DR, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRPORT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL, AND DIED DURING TREATMENT. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING FROM APEX, NORTH CAROLINA, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE BROTHER OF THE DECEASED PILOT STATED HIS BROTHER CONDUCTED AND ENGINE RUN-UP AND MAGNETO CHECK. THE ENGINE SOUNDED A LITTLE ROUGH BUT SMOOTHED OUT. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, BECAME AIRBORNE AND STARTED A SHALLOW LEFT TURN OVER THE TREES. HE HEARD A SOUND LIKE THE ENGINE BACK FIRED, OBSERVED BLACK SMOKE, AND WATCHED THE AIRPLANE UNTIL IT DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW BEHIND THE TREES. HE RAN TO THE CRASH SITE AND SAW THE AIRPLANE ADJACENT TO ROAD. THE AIRPLANE HAD COLLIDED WITH TREES AND WAS LOCATED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF A DITCH. A WITNESS STATED HE WAS IN HIS HOUSE LOOKING OUT HIS WINDOW WHEN HE SAW A BLUE AND WHITE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A 45-DEGREE NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE OVER THE TREES, AND HE DID NOT HEAR ANY ENIGINE NOISE. IT DID NOT APPEAR AS IF THE PILOT HAD CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. IT CAME DOWN LIKE A TREE THAT WAS FALLING. THE AIRPLANE HIT THE GROUND WINGS LEVEL WITH THE FUSELAGE INTACT AND SLID ABOUT 10 FEET, MISSING A TREE HEAD ON BEFORE IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN HIS FRONT YARD. HE RAN TO THE AIRPLANE TO ASSIST. HE OBSERVED TWO VICTIMS THAT HAD SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, FLIGHT CONTROLS AND ENGINE ASSEMBLY REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. (FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SEE FAA INSPECTOR STATEMENT AND TEXTRON LYCOMING AIRCRAFT MISHAP INVESITGATION SINGLE ENGINE FINAL REPORT ATTACTMENTS TO THIS REPORT.) ## 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 MIA00LA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA153), May 14, 2000: Mclarty Vans RV-4 (N45DR), Apex, NC, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall and subsequent collision with terrain. 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.