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20030724021409A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr RALLY3 · Searcy, AR · July 24, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 24, 2003 · 09:30 local
Place
Searcy, AR
Phase of flight
Descent
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N317RE
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI03LA230
Reported as
Amtr RALLY3
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,200 total75 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days
N317RERegistration cancelled Apr 7, 2006 · Murch John ROTEC RALLY 3S/N 25186 · Built 1983Airframe modelMurch John ROTEC RALLY 3Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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) On July 24, 2003, at 09:30 CDT, a rotec rally 3, N317RE, lost directional control while maneuvering for landing in the traffic pattern for the Searcy (src) municipal airport, Searcy, Arkansas. The aircraft began a nearly uncontrollable spiral into a vacant lot where a drainage ditch was located, and during the roll-out the aircraft ran into the ditch and sustained substantial damage. The sole occupant, a private pilot, did not sustain any injuries. The aircraft was being operated as a pleasure flight by the owner/private pilot under 14 CFR part 91 when the accident occurred. The flight originated at the Searcy airport at approximately 09:20 CDT. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was not filed. The pilot stated he had to use steep nose-down pitch attitude similar to spin recovery to stop the spiral, then was able to land in the vacant lot. "Other" checked in block #32: sent broken portion of rudder cable to chicago NTSB office for evaluation.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 24, 2003, AT 09:30 CDT, A ROTEC RALLY 3, N317RE, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE MANEUVERING FOR LANDING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR THE SEARCY (SRC) MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, SEARCY, ARKANSAS. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A NEARLY UNCONTROLLABLE SPIRAL INTO A VACANT LOT WHERE A DRAINAGE DITCH WAS LOCATED, AND DURING THE ROLL-OUT THE AIRCRAFT RAN INTO THE DITCH AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE SOLE OCCUPANT, A PRIVATE PILOT, DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PLEASURE FLIGHT BY THE OWNER/PRIVATE PILOT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE SEARCY AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 09:20 CDT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD TO USE STEEP NOSE-DOWN PITCH ATTITUDE SIMILAR TO SPIN RECOVERY TO STOP THE SPIRAL, THEN WAS ABLE TO LAND IN THE VACANT LOT. "OTHER" CHECKED IN BLOCK #32: SENT BROKEN PORTION OF RUDDER CABLE TO CHICAGO NTSB OFFICE FOR EVALUATION.

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 CHI03LA230Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSearcy, ARThe frayed rudder cable that failed during the turn to final. A factor was the ditch the airplane encountered during the forced landing.Jul 24, 2003 · Substantial damage