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20070503008969A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Pitts S-2B · Havelock, NC · May 3, 2007

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 3, 2007 · 14:15 local
Place
Havelock, NC
Phase of flight
Forced Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N5234A
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC07LA107
Reported as
Pitts S2B
Reported engine
WRIGHT R1820*
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days
N5234ARegistration cancelled Oct 9, 2008 · Grumman S-2BS/N 136404Airframe modelGrumman S-2BEngine modelWright R-1820 seriesReciprocating

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) Aircraft N5234A,a Grumman S-2B operated by the commemorative airforce had departed franklin, VA (fkn) enroute to cherry point mcas (nkt). On final approach the aircraft was cleared to runway 5 approximately 2 to 3 miles out at 1100 to 1200' altitude. The aircraft started an uncommanded turn to the right accompanied by a decrease in airspeed. The right engine lost power for an undetermined reason. The co-pilot flying the airplane applied right rudder instead of left rudder and the aircraft entered a right turn. Crew coordination and communication was poor as the pilot had to ask the co-pilot what was going on. When the co-pilot stated he was holding right rudder, the pilot feathered the left engine without coordination. The pilot unfeathered the engine when he did not perceive a decrease in drag on the left side. The period during this feather/unfeathering cycle reduced the thrust from the left engine at a critical stage as the airspeed dropped to 75 knots. The co-pilot flew the aircraft to the ground through the electrical powerlines and trees coming to rest in an adjacent field. The fire started from the severed powerlines which eventually engulfed the aircraft causing both wings to explode.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT N5234A,A GRUMMAN S-2B OPERATED BY THE COMMEMORATIVE AIRFORCE HAD DEPARTED FRANKLIN, VA (FKN) ENROUTE TO CHERRY POINT MCAS (NKT). ON FINAL APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED TO RUNWAY 5 APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 MILES OUT AT 1100 TO 1200' ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED AN UNCOMMANDED TURN TO THE RIGHT ACCOMPANIED BY A DECREASE IN AIRSPEED. THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. THE CO-PILOT FLYING THE AIRPLANE APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER INSTEAD OF LEFT RUDDER AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A RIGHT TURN. CREW COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION WAS POOR AS THE PILOT HAD TO ASK THE CO-PILOT WHAT WAS GOING ON. WHEN THE CO-PILOT STATED HE WAS HOLDING RIGHT RUDDER, THE PILOT FEATHERED THE LEFT ENGINE WITHOUT COORDINATION. THE PILOT UNFEATHERED THE ENGINE WHEN HE DID NOT PERCEIVE A DECREASE IN DRAG ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE PERIOD DURING THIS FEATHER/UNFEATHERING CYCLE REDUCED THE THRUST FROM THE LEFT ENGINE AT A CRITICAL STAGE AS THE AIRSPEED DROPPED TO 75 KNOTS. THE CO-PILOT FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO THE GROUND THROUGH THE ELECTRICAL POWERLINES AND TREES COMING TO REST IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. THE FIRE STARTED FROM THE SEVERED POWERLINES WHICH EVENTUALLY ENGULFED THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING BOTH WINGS TO EXPLODE.

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 NYC07LA107Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCherry Point, NCThe flightcrew's failure to comply with the published emergency procedure following a loss of engine power on the right engine. Contributing to the accident was the failure of a magneto in the right engine.May 3, 2007 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5234A · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19960921035369ITo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Fresno, CANarrative: on Saturday, September 20, 1996, at 1445 PST, a Grumman S2-F, N5234A, was taking off on runway 29R, at Fresno Air Terminal (fat) and the pilot apparently retracted the landing gear when the airplane had not achieved a positive rate of climb.…Sep 21, 1996 · Reported as Grumav S2F · Minor damage