20120120001119A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Aero Vodochody L39C · Rainbow City, AL · January 20, 2012

Date: January 20, 2012 · 18:18 local
Place: Rainbow City, AL
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N16RZ
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA12FA149
Reported as: Aero Vodochody L39C
Reported engine: Ivchenko AL-25SERIES
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,200 total83 in this make and model

N16RZRegistration cancelled Oct 2, 2014 · Aero Vodochody L39CS/N 132013 · Built 1981 Airframe modelAero Vodochody L39C Engine modelIvchenko AL-25SERIESTurbo-fan

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.

The pilot received his IFR clearance from birmingham approach and was released for departure. This was a night IMC departure. The weather was 300 overcast and 1 mile. The pilot departed runway 24 less than two minutes after receiving his clearance. A witness stated he saw aircraft get airborne and enter the clouds. About a minute later a loud explosion was heard. The wreckage site was southwest of the airport at approximatly 1.1 miles. The debris path was on a heading of 070.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT RECEIVED HIS IFR CLEARANCE FROM BIRMINGHAM APPROACH AND WAS RELEASED FOR DEPARTURE. THIS WAS A NIGHT IMC DEPARTURE. THE WEATHER WAS 300 OVERCAST AND 1 MILE. THE PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 24 LESS THAN TWO MINUTES AFTER RECEIVING HIS CLEARANCE. A WITNESS STATED HE SAW AIRCRAFT GET AIRBORNE AND ENTER THE CLOUDS. ABOUT A MINUTE LATER A LOUD EXPLOSION WAS HEARD. THE WRECKAGE SITE WAS SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATLY 1.1 MILES. THE DEBRIS PATH WAS ON A HEADING OF 070.

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 ERA12FA149Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportRainbow City, ALAn in-flight loss of control in instrument meteorological conditions.Jan 21, 2012 · Substantial damage