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20111011022802A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Freitag Ernst VANS RV-8 · Madera, CA · October 11, 2011

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 11, 2011 · 11:00 local
Place
Madera, CA
Phase of flight
Maneuver
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N427EF
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR12CA005
Reported as
Freitag Ernst Vans RV-8
Reported engine
Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
4,000 total110 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days
N427EFRegistered now · Freitag Ernst VANS RV-8S/N 80200 · Built 2002Airframe modelFreitag Ernst VANS RV-8Engine modelLycoming I0360 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.

While practicing flying in formation, a briefed pitch up and bank maneuver resulted in the collision of N427EF and N506DC. N427EF (piloted by privacy data omitted) was struck from behind and beneath by N506DC (piloted by privacy data omitted, see related report) after privacy data omitted lost sight of N427EF. N427EF suffered substantial damage to the right wing and propeller, but the pilot was able to make a safe landing at home base (sierra sky park, E79) with no injuries. The left wing and aileron of N506DC was substantially damaged along with damage to the canopy and fuselage. After impact N506DC entered a steep spiral dive and would not respond to eileron input. The pilot retarded the throttle and increased pitch which slowed the spiral to a continuous right turn. He was able to land the plane, with elevator and rudder only, in a field with no injury. The pilot of N506DC stated that he should have taken evasive action when he lost sight of N427EF rather than continue looking. The fat FSDO safety team rep. Plans on conducting a safety seminar with the formation flying aviators based at E79.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE PRACTICING FLYING IN FORMATION, A BRIEFED PITCH UP AND BANK MANEUVER RESULTED IN THE COLLISION OF N427EF AND N506DC. N427EF (PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^) WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND AND BENEATH BY N506DC (PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, SEE RELATED REPORT) AFTER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LOST SIGHT OF N427EF. N427EF SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING AND PROPELLER, BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAKE A SAFE LANDING AT HOME BASE (SIERRA SKY PARK, E79) WITH NO INJURIES. THE LEFT WING AND AILERON OF N506DC WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED ALONG WITH DAMAGE TO THE CANOPY AND FUSELAGE. AFTER IMPACT N506DC ENTERED A STEEP SPIRAL DIVE AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO EILERON INPUT. THE PILOT RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND INCREASED PITCH WHICH SLOWED THE SPIRAL TO A CONTINUOUS RIGHT TURN. HE WAS ABLE TO LAND THE PLANE, WITH ELEVATOR AND RUDDER ONLY, IN A FIELD WITH NO INJURY. THE PILOT OF N506DC STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION WHEN HE LOST SIGHT OF N427EF RATHER THAN CONTINUE LOOKING. THE FAT FSDO SAFETY TEAM REP. PLANS ON CONDUCTING A SAFETY SEMINAR WITH THE FORMATION FLYING AVIATORS BASED AT E79.

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 WPR12CA005Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportMadera, CAThe third airplane pilot’s failure to maintain visual contact with the second airplane during the formation flight.Oct 11, 2011 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N506DCCombs Dale B RV-4Accident 20111011022792A · Destroyed