20030510008039A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Doug A4N · Syracuse, UT · May 10, 2003

Date: May 10, 2003 · 10:00 local
Place: Syracuse, UT
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N263WL
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03TA079
Reported as: Doug A4N
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 10,500 total199 in this make and model

N263WLRegistration cancelled Apr 15, 2004 · Mcdonnell Douglas A4NS/N 159523 Airframe modelMcdonnell Douglas A4N

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.

(-23) The aircraft departed from williams gateway airport enroute to cold lake, Canada with two other A4'S with a planned fuel stop at hill afb. After descending from 15,000 to 12,000 the flight of three aircraft leveled off. After the aircraft level off a white vapor trail was seen coming from the mishap aircraft. At this time the pilot of the mishap aircraft reported engine problems and the throttle was stuck at 80%. His wing man turned the flight lead over to him at this time. He then said his engine was down to 30% and he had lost all flight controls. He was instructed by one of the other pilots in the flight to switch to manual flight control. Shortly after that he ejected from the aircraft and it was reported that his chute did not open. The aircraft impacted the water on the south east side of antelope island located in the southern part of the great salt lake approximately 1 to 2 miles off shore. Scene not accessible. Aircraft under water.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM WILLIAMS GATEWAY AIRPORT ENROUTE TO COLD LAKE, CANADA WITH TWO OTHER A4'S WITH A PLANNED FUEL STOP AT HILL AFB. AFTER DESCENDING FROM 15,000 TO 12,000 THE FLIGHT OF THREE AIRCRAFT LEVELED OFF. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT LEVEL OFF A WHITE VAPOR TRAIL WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE MISHAP AIRCRAFT. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT OF THE MISHAP AIRCRAFT REPORTED ENGINE PROBLEMS AND THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK AT 80%. HIS WING MAN TURNED THE FLIGHT LEAD OVER TO HIM AT THIS TIME. HE THEN SAID HIS ENGINE WAS DOWN TO 30% AND HE HAD LOST ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS. HE WAS INSTRUCTED BY ONE OF THE OTHER PILOTS IN THE FLIGHT TO SWITCH TO MANUAL FLIGHT CONTROL. SHORTLY AFTER THAT HE EJECTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND IT WAS REPORTED THAT HIS CHUTE DID NOT OPEN. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER ON THE SOUTH EAST SIDE OF ANTELOPE ISLAND LOCATED IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE APPROXIMATELY 1 TO 2 MILES OFF SHORE. SCENE NOT ACCESSIBLE. AIRCRAFT UNDER WATER.

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 DEN03TA079Accident · 1 fatalFinal reportSalt Lake City, UTThe lose of engine power during descent due to the in-flight collision with a bird which FOD damaged the engine and subsequently melted the turbine section. A contributing factor was the airplane's malfunctioning ejection seat.May 10, 2003 · Destroyed