20020629024329A

(-23) AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM SOUTH SAINT PAUL AIRPORT (KSGS) AND BEGAN ITS INITIAL CLIMB. WHILE CLIMBING AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TELEVISION ANTENNA ON THE ROOFTOP OF A HOUSE, FOLLOWED BY HITTING ANOTHER ROOFTOP, DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT'S INABILITY TO CLIMB. THE AIRCRAFT THEN CRASHED BEHIND A HOUSE IN A RESIDENTIAL SECTION, IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT FROM WHICH IT DEPARTED. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 32C/90F WITH A DEWPOINT OF 19C/66F ADN THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 29.88 INCHES HG, THUS MAKING THE DENSITY ALTITUDE TO BE 3,000 FEET. THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY WAS 59%, MAKING THE HEAT INDEX NEARLY 100 DEGREES F. THE PILOT REPORTED A "LOSS OF ENGINE RPM" DURING HIS CLIMB, THUS A LOSS IN POWER TO CLIMB OVER THE HOUSES. THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED, HOWEVER, CARBURETOR ICING IS POSSIBLE. THIS SPECIFIC MAKE/MODEL OF AIRCRAFT ALSO HAS A HISTORY OF ESPECIALLY POOR PERFORMANCE ON HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS. IF OTHER DATA IS DISCOVERED CONCERINING THIS AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT, AN AMENDED REPORT WILL BE FILED. THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED ON FLIGHT OPERATIONS DURING HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS AND THE HAZARDS OF CARBURETOR ICING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ (.19) ON JUNE 29, 2002, AT 1453 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AMATEUR-BUILT AUNE GLASTAR GS-1, N699S, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED AN ANTENNA AND THE TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE WAS DEPARTING ON RUNWAY 16 (4,001 FEET BY 100 FEET, ASPHALT), AT THE SOUTH ST. PAUL MUNICIPAL-RICHARD E FLEMING FIELD AIRPORT, SOUTH ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS NOT ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND HIS ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND WAS BOUND FOR THE FARIBAULT MINICIPAL AIRPORT, FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA.