20041014024759A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr GLASAIR II RG · Hermiston, OR · October 14, 2004

Date: October 14, 2004 · 09:07 local
Place: Hermiston, OR
Airport: Hermiston Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N706C
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA05LA006
Reported as: Amtr Glasairiirg
Reported engine: Continental IO360*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,300 total1,297 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N706CRegistration cancelled Jan 12, 2005 · Caldwell Steven M GLASAIR II RGS/N 307 · Built 1999 Airframe modelCaldwell Steven M GLASAIR II RG Engine modelLycoming I0360 SER A&CReciprocating

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) Witnesses stated aircraft passed over airport, north to south, turned left downwind, and made low pass down runway heading west, at approximately 200 mph. Aircraft pulled up at the end of the runway, climbing straight up 500 feet to 600 feet with smoke system turned on. Aircraft appeared slow at top, pilot attempted to kick over and aircraft stalled. Aircraft broke left, rotating 1 1/2 to 2 spins and never recovered from rotation. Aircraft descended straight down, impacting earth at about approximately 100+ mph. Witness stated just before impact, engine sounded like pilot may have pulled power back. Witnesses stated there was a change in engine noise, like aircraft tried to pull up. Aircraft hit terrain and burned on impact. The debris field was approximately in a 30-foot radius.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WITNESSES STATED AIRCRAFT PASSED OVER AIRPORT, NORTH TO SOUTH, TURNED LEFT DOWNWIND, AND MADE LOW PASS DOWN RUNWAY HEADING WEST, AT APPROXIMATELY 200 MPH. AIRCRAFT PULLED UP AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, CLIMBING STRAIGHT UP 500 FEET TO 600 FEET WITH SMOKE SYSTEM TURNED ON. AIRCRAFT APPEARED SLOW AT TOP, PILOT ATTEMPTED TO KICK OVER AND AIRCRAFT STALLED. AIRCRAFT BROKE LEFT, ROTATING 1 1/2 TO 2 SPINS AND NEVER RECOVERED FROM ROTATION. AIRCRAFT DESCENDED STRAIGHT DOWN, IMPACTING EARTH AT ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 100+ MPH. WITNESS STATED JUST BEFORE IMPACT, ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE PILOT MAY HAVE PULLED POWER BACK. WITNESSES STATED THERE WAS A CHANGE IN ENGINE NOISE, LIKE AIRCRAFT TRIED TO PULL UP. AIRCRAFT HIT TERRAIN AND BURNED ON IMPACT. THE DEBRIS FIELD WAS APPROXIMATELY IN A 30-FOOT RADIUS.

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 SEA05LA006Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportHermiston, ORThe pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed above stall speed while executing a wingover maneuver at the top of a vertical climb, leading to an inadvertent spin, and the pilot's inadequate remedial action in attempting to recover from the spin. Factors…Oct 14, 2004 · Destroyed