20050425008979A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · NIEUPORT C-1 · Homestead, FL · April 25, 2005

Date: April 25, 2005 · 10:30 local
Place: Homestead, FL
Airport: Private
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N749GB
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA05LA098
Reported as: NIEUPORTC1
Reported engine: AMTRVW VW*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N749GBRegistration cancelled Sep 24, 2013 · Brown Gordon E NIEUPORT C-1S/N 00749 · Built 2000 Airframe modelBrown Gordon E NIEUPORT C-1 Engine modelVolkswagen CONVERSIONReciprocating

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 April 25, 2005 at approximately 1030AM at richards field, a Private airstrip in Homestead Florida, an experimental operator/owner was ground taxiing a tail dragger amateur experimental category aircraft, registration N749GB, model: newport C-1, to adjust stabilizer pitch. The taxiing requires enough forward speed to lift the tail wheel off the runway to then correctly adjust pitch. While the operator was taxiing with tail wheel off the ground, a crosswind lifted the right wing and the airplane started to dutch roll. Operator inherently pulled pitch the aircraft took flight. As the operator was maneuvering back to richards field to land, the aircraft lost pitch control and nose-dived through utility wires to the ground. Operator sustained minor injury. The aircraft sustained major structural damage at the engine firewall, engine mount truss and the main landing gear assemblies. Propeller was splintered to shreds on impact to the ground.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON APRIL 25, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 1030AM AT RICHARDS FIELD, A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP IN HOMESTEAD FLORIDA, AN EXPERIMENTAL OPERATOR/OWNER WAS GROUND TAXIING A TAIL DRAGGER AMATEUR EXPERIMENTAL CATEGORY AIRCRAFT, REGISTRATION N749GB, MODEL: NEWPORT C-1, TO ADJUST STABILIZER PITCH. THE TAXIING REQUIRES ENOUGH FORWARD SPEED TO LIFT THE TAIL WHEEL OFF THE RUNWAY TO THEN CORRECTLY ADJUST PITCH. WHILE THE OPERATOR WAS TAXIING WITH TAIL WHEEL OFF THE GROUND, A CROSSWIND LIFTED THE RIGHT WING AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO DUTCH ROLL. OPERATOR INHERENTLY PULLED PITCH THE AIRCRAFT TOOK FLIGHT. AS THE OPERATOR WAS MANEUVERING BACK TO RICHARDS FIELD TO LAND, THE AIRCRAFT LOST PITCH CONTROL AND NOSE-DIVED THROUGH UTILITY WIRES TO THE GROUND. OPERATOR SUSTAINED MINOR INJURY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AT THE ENGINE FIREWALL, ENGINE MOUNT TRUSS AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLIES. PROPELLER WAS SPLINTERED TO SHREDS ON IMPACT TO THE GROUND.

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 MIA05LA098Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHomestead, FLThe reported loss of engine power for undetermined reasons on the downwind leg which resulted in a forced landing, and subsequent in-flight collision with a guy-wire and terrain.Apr 25, 2005 · Substantial damage