# Accident 20070917020859A: Amtr ROOTSHERPA, Scappoose, OR, September 17, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 17, 2007, 18:40 local time
- Place: Scappoose, OR
- Airport: Scappoose Industrial Airpark
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.7739° N, 122.8500° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7739&lon=-122.8500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1415B, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1415B) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Root Byron L SHERPA (registry code 05623QX, https://openairdocs.org/model/root-byron-l-sherpa) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-720 series (registry code 41546, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-720-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR ROOTSHERPA
- Reported engine: LYC IO720C1B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,100 total, 3 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX07LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07LA280) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070917020859A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS IN PROCESS POSSIBLY BUYING THIS EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, SHERPA BY NAME, MANUFACTURED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^  IN 1993. A COMPANY EMPLOYEE AND RATED PILOT OF SHERPA AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS IN THE BACK SEAT ASSISTING THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN THIS PROCESS. THE AIRCRAFT IS OWNED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND WAS NOT BEING SOLD BY SHERPA AIRCRAFT, ACCORDING TO THE OWNER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD DEMONSTRATED THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE FRONT SEAT OF THIS TANDEM-SEATED CONFIGURATION ON A PRIOR FLIGHT AND SWITCHED SEATS WITH THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON THIS FLIGHT SINCE NO FLIGHT CONTROLS ARE INSTALLED IN THE BACK. FOR THIS FLIGHT, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OCCUPED THE FRONTSEAT FOR A NORMAL LANDING TO THE GRASS RUNWAY EAST OF RUNWAY 33. A WITNESS ALONGSIDE THE EAST SIDE OF THE GRASS RUNWAY, INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT LEVELED OFF MOMENTARILY APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET AGL, PITCHED DOWN, AND MAINTAINED A NOSEDOWN ATTITUDE OF 45 DEGREES WITH POWER ON AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. FLAPS WERE IN APPROXIMATELY 15 DEGREES SETTING AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, EVEN THOUGH THE PILOT CLAIMED HE ADDED FULL FLAPS. BOTH PILOTS WERE INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. AN AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR IS INVESTIGATING THE POSSIBILITY OF A FLIGHT CONTROL PROBLEM PRIOR TO IMPACT WHICH THE NTSB LAB WILL LOOK INTO.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX07LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07LA280), Sep 18, 2007: Root Sherpa (N1415B), Scappoose, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of aircraft pitch control due to the fatigue failure of the fuselage tube structure at the flight control stick gimbal mechanism due to an incomplete weld penetration at the root of the weld.

## Other reports on N1415B (1)

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

- [Accident 20000727005099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000727005099A), Jul 27, 2000: N1415B, Helena, MT, No damage. (-23) PIC stated at stall speed, he bounced on tundra times then dropped on ewing on aircraft and spun around on the ashalt. Hot temperature-wind not a factor…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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