20110630013599A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Ray Aerial Spraying 773 RACER · Ottumwa, IA · June 30, 2011

Date: June 30, 2011 · 17:29 local
Place: Ottumwa, IA
Airport: Ottumwa Industrial
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N773RY
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN11FA436
Reported as: Ray Aerial Spraying 773 Racer
Reported engine: Fairchild Ranger/ 770-11/
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,581 total3 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N773RYRegistration cancelled Sep 17, 2013 · Ray Aerial Spraying 773 RACERS/N 001 · Built 2010 Airframe modelRay Aerial Spraying 773 RACER Engine modelFairchild V-770-11Reciprocating

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.

One witness stated that the aircraft tachometer hour meter showed 2.3 hours the day before the accident flight. Another witness stated that the accident flight was the fourth flight for the aircraft since completion. The aircraft fuel system had been filled with 100LL avgas.a witness reported that the accident aircraft appeared to be between 2000 and 2500' AGL (above ground level) on a downwind leg for runway 4 at Ottumwa, Iowa. As the aircraft passed the approach end of runway 4, it turned left and then entered a very steep descent. The aircraft leveled out and impacted the ground in a level attitude, bounced sideways, striking a tree, which was approximately 20 yards from the initial impact point, and continued on for a distance of approximately 30 more yards before coming to rest upright. At this point, the aircraft was engulfed in flames. The engine separated from the aircraft. The propeller remained attached to the engine. The fuselage broke open at the right side of the cockpit.

As the FAA filed it

ONE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TACHOMETER HOUR METER SHOWED 2.3 HOURS THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE FOURTH FLIGHT FOR THE AIRCRAFT SINCE COMPLETION. THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM HAD BEEN FILLED WITH 100LL AVGAS.A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE BETWEEN 2000 AND 2500' AGL (ABOVE GROUND LEVEL) ON A DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 4 AT OTTUMWA, IOWA. AS THE AIRCRAFT PASSED THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 4, IT TURNED LEFT AND THEN ENTERED A VERY STEEP DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT LEVELED OUT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, BOUNCED SIDEWAYS, STRIKING A TREE, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 YARDS FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT, AND CONTINUED ON FOR A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 30 MORE YARDS BEFORE COMING TO REST UPRIGHT. AT THIS POINT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE ENGINE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PROPELLER REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE. THE FUSELAGE BROKE OPEN AT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE COCKPIT.

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 CEN11FA436Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportOttumwa, IAThe loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane’s engine and ignition system did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and extensive postaccident fire damage…Jun 30, 2011 · Destroyed