20031002024799I

(-23) INSPECTOR'S STATEMENT: A T-6G AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION NUMBER N2831D WAS CRASHED DURING LANDING AT HEAVEN'S LANDING PRIVATE AIRPORT ON GERMANY MOUNTAIN, NEAR CLAYTON, GEORGIA AT 1526 LOCAL ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2003. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, FAA COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF THE AIRCRAFT. FAA INSPECTORS DAVID SHIFFLETT AND MAX SIRAJ WERE DISPATCHED FROM THE ATL-FSDO AT APPROXIMATELY 0730, ON 10/03/2003 TO CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION. THE INSPECTORS ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT AT 1030. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS ED AND CONNIE BOWLIN MET THE INSPECTORS. THE INSPECTORS WERE ESCORTED TO THE AIRCRAFT LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY APPROXIMATELY MIDFIELD IN A FIFTEEN FOOT DEEP DITCH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS COVERED WITH TARPAULINS. THE AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR, WHICH HAD BEEN SHEARED OFF DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE, HAD BEEN MOVED AND COVERED AT THE SCENE. THE TARPAULINS WERE REMOVED AND DOCUMENTATION OF THE INCIDENT COMMENCED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THE LANDING INCIDENT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AS A FLIGHT OF TWO T-6 AIRCRAFT, AT A PRIVATE STRIP NEAR GRIFFIN, GEORGIA (GA62). ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PILOTED THE SECOND AIRCRAFT IN THE FLIGHT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DOES NOT HAVE A VALID ICAS FORMATION AUTHORIZATION CARD. HEAVEN'S LANDING AIRPORT IS A MOUNTAIN TOP PRIVATE AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF CLAYTON, GEORGIA (COORDINATES NORTH 34.55.126/WEST 083.27.173). THE FORMATION MADE SEVERAL PASSES PRIOR TO FORMATION BREAKING UP FOR LANDING. THE BOWLINS IN THE LEAD SHIP LANDED UNEVENTLY ON RUNWAY 5 AND OBSERVED THE LANDING MADE BY THE SECOND SHIP. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ELECTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 23 WITH A SLIGHT TAIL WIND. THE WINDS WERE LIGHT AND VARIABLE WITH OCCASIONAL GUST, PER WITNESS STATEMENTS. THE RUNWAY IS A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED CONCRETE RUNWAY, WHICH MEASURES 5,000 FEET BY 50 FEET. THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DROPS OFF APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY EDGE INTO A FIFTEEN-FOOT DEEP DITCH. PER THE INVESTIGATION, ALONG WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATEMENT, WHICH IS COLLABORATED BY WITNESS STATEMENTS, HE TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET DOWN RUNWAY 23 ON THE CENETERLINE. AS THE TAIL LOSS LIFT AND THE TAIL WHEEL MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY, AT 1,650 FEET, SKID MARKS INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT OFF THE CENTERLINE, AT 1900 FEET THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OVER THE CENTERLINE TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED AGAIN TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY ON THE SOUTH SIDE 2,000 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END AND CAME TO REST PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY 2,144 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END. ALL MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE USING A TRAFFIC WHEEL PROVIDED BY THE RABUN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY EDGE IT WENT DOWN A FIFTEEN-FOOT EMBANKMENT AND MADE CONTACT WITH SEVERAL LARGE ROCKS, WHICH CAUSED BOTH LANDING GEAR TO BE SHEARED OFF DUE TO SIDE LOADING. THE LANDING GEAR BROKE AT THE STRUT APPROXIMATELY 4-6 INCHES FROM THE BASE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO ROTATE COUNTER CLOCKWISE ANOTHER 45 DEGREES REMAINING UPRIGHT FOR APPROXIMATELY TWENTY FEET WHERE IT CAME IN CONTACT WITH TREES ALONG A WOOD LINE AND CAME TO REST. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SHOULDER HARNESS INERTIA REEL WAS NOT LOCKED AND HE RECEIVED MINOR ABRASION INJURIES TO HIS HEAD FROM CONTACT WITH THE GLARE SHIELD. THE PASSENGER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS UNINJURED AND HER INERTIA REEL WAS FOUND IN THE LOCKED POSITION. BOTH OCCUPANTS DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT UNDER THEIR OWN POWER. THE LANDING EVENT WAS CALLED INTO THE RABUN COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES BY AN OFF DUTY DEPUTY SHERIFF WORKING THE EVENT. HIS STATEMENT IS INCLUDED AS A POLICE REPORT DATED 10/05/2003 FROM THE RABUN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS INTERVIEWED AT THE SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 1530. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS VERY COOPERATIVE WITH THE INSPECTORS AND PROVIDED ALL FAA REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, WHICH WAS FOUND TO BE VALID AND IN CORRECT ORDER. DOCUMENTS INCLUDED: FAA PILOT CERTIFICATE, FLIGHT REVIEW DATED 11/30/2001, FAA 2ND CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE DATED 04/07/2003, ICAS FORMATION CARD. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PROVIDED THE INSPECTORS WITH A WRITTEN STATEMENT ABOUT THE INCIDENT. ON 10/06/2003, THE INSPECTORS DAVID SHIFFLETT AND DALE DONEGAN CONDUCTED A SITE VISIT TO THE ATLANTA AIR SALVAGE FACILITY LOCATED AT THE GRIFFIN-SPAULDING COUNTY AIRPORT (6A2) TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE T-6. THE FOCUS OF THE INVESTIGATION WAS THE AUTO-LOCKING FEATURE FOR THE TAIL WHEEL. THE T-6 TAIL WHEEL AUTOMATICALLY LOCKS VIA A PIN AND PILOT'S STICK CONNECTION COMMANDED BY THE PILOT'S ELEVATOR AFT INPUT. WHEN THE STICK IS COMMAND FULL BACK THE PIN WILL LOCK THE TAIL WHEEL FOR LANDING AND TAKEOFF. THE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM WAS UNABLE TO CONDUCT THIS INSPECTION AT HEAVEN'S LANDING. THE MECHANISM WAS FOUND TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RELEASED TO THE AIRCRAFT OWNERS. THE FAA INVESTIGATIVE DEPARTED THE HEAVEN'S LANDING AT APPROXIMATELY 1630, 10/03/2003. NOTHING FOLLOWS.