20030904023769A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr CH601XL · Lake Tapps, WA · September 4, 2003

Date: September 4, 2003 · 16:54 local
Place: Lake Tapps, WA
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N819GS
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA03LA186
Reported as: Amtr CH601XL
Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 21,500 total20 in this make and model81 in the last 90 days

N819GSRegistration cancelled Dec 19, 2012 · Schmidt Gordon Kenner ZODIAC 601 XLS/N 6-4975 · Built 2003 Airframe modelSchmidt Gordon Kenner ZODIAC 601 XL Engine modelRotax SEE BOMBADIERReciprocating

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) Shortly after takeoff from Lake Tapps, the aircraft was observed by several witnesses to "stall", or "bank sharp to the right", and "spiral" or "spin" to the ground. The aircraft was destroyed by impact and post-crash fire. On-site investigation indicates that the aircraft's direction of travel, and the damage patterns sustained to the aircraft structure are indicative of a stall-spin type event. Prior to the accident, the pilot claims to have lost power, and was attempting to maneuver the aircraft for a landing, and that he "may have stalled" the aircraft in the process.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM LAKE TAPPS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED BY SEVERAL WITNESSES TO "STALL", OR "BANK SHARP TO THE RIGHT", AND "SPIRAL" OR "SPIN" TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND POST-CRASH FIRE. ON-SITE INVESTIGATION INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, AND THE DAMAGE PATTERNS SUSTAINED TO THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE ARE INDICATIVE OF A STALL-SPIN TYPE EVENT. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT CLAIMS TO HAVE LOST POWER, AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT FOR A LANDING, AND THAT HE "MAY HAVE STALLED" THE AIRCRAFT IN THE PROCESS.

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 SEA03LA186Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSumner, WALoss of engine power during the initial climb. Factors include the in-flight collision with trees during the uncontrolled descent.Sep 4, 2003 · Destroyed