# Accident 20080709855199A: Colyae FREEDOM, Decatur, AL, July 9, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 9, 2008, 11:30 local time
- Place: Decatur, AL
- Airport: Pryor Field Regional
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.5672° N, 87.3836° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5672&lon=-87.3836&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4450E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4450E-2017-07-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Colyaer SL FREEDOM (registry code 0600046, https://openairdocs.org/model/colyaer-sl-freedom) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912ULS series (registry code 55572, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: COLYAE FREEDOM
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX912
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 2,411 total, 3 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA08LA138](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08LA138) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080709855199A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JULY 9, 2008, AT 1130 CST, A COLYAER FREEDOM, N4450E, REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, CRASHED INTO THE TENNESSEE RIVER WHILE ON A TRAINING FLIGHT.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE PILOT AND CREW RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  ACCORDING TO A DAR REPORT THE AIRPLANE WAS CERTIFICATED ON JUNE 11, 2008.  THE PILOT WAS RECEIVING TEN (10) HOURS OF TRANSITION TRAINING FROM AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT DURING THE CRASH.  EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FULLY COMPOSITE AND ALL ENGINE AND FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE PRESENT.  THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED VERTICALLY INTO THE RIVER CAUSING CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE AND COCKPIT SECTION, THE LEFT WING SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, NO DAMAGE TO FUSELAGE AND THE CONVENTIONAL T-TAIL.  THE HYDRODYNAMICS HULL WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED WITH NO DAMAGE, THE PUSHER PROPELLER AND ROTAX ENGINE RECEIVED NO DAMAGE AND THE CANOPY AND AVIONIC PACKAGE SEPARATED DURING IMPACT WITH MINOR DAMAGE.  THE MAIN LANDING GEAR DOORS SEPARATED FROM THE HULL'S STRUCTURE BUT THE GEAR DOOR'S HOOKS WERE NOT DAMAGED.

## 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 MIA08LA138](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08LA138), Jul 9, 2008: Colyaer SL Freedom S100 (N4450E), Limestone, AL, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of aircraft control for undetermined reasons while making a water landing.

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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