20120414009089A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Manzitto Michael A MWLANCAIR 235 · Mook, KY · April 14, 2012

Date: April 14, 2012 · 14:30 local
Place: Mook, KY
Airport: Rough River State Park
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N235MW
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA12FA280
Reported as: Manzitto Michael A Mwlancair 235
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 480 total200 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N235MWRegistration cancelled May 15, 2014 · Manzitto Michael A MWLANCAIR 235S/N MW06 · Built 2006 Airframe modelManzitto Michael A MWLANCAIR 235 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

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.

N235MW reportedly had a history of electrical problems. Pilot flew N235MW from louisville, bowman airport (klou) to falls of Rough State airpark (2I3) and experienced a dead battery on the morning of the accident flight. Pilot replaced battery with a new one and departed for klou, leaving gear in the down position. The propeller is a variable pitch, electrically controlled propeller. Pilot reported to his friends on common traffic frequency (CTAF) that he was "going down and going down hard."on scene investigation revealed no anomalies with fuel system, engine ignition, fuel, or intake. Investigation is ongoing.

As the FAA filed it

N235MW REPORTEDLY HAD A HISTORY OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. PILOT FLEW N235MW FROM LOUISVILLE, BOWMAN AIRPORT (KLOU) TO FALLS OF ROUGH STATE AIRPARK (2I3) AND EXPERIENCED A DEAD BATTERY ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. PILOT REPLACED BATTERY WITH A NEW ONE AND DEPARTED FOR KLOU, LEAVING GEAR IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE PROPELLER IS A VARIABLE PITCH, ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED PROPELLER. PILOT REPORTED TO HIS FRIENDS ON COMMON TRAFFIC FREQUENCY (CTAF) THAT HE WAS "GOING DOWN AND GOING DOWN HARD."ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO ANOMALIES WITH FUEL SYSTEM, ENGINE IGNITION, FUEL, OR INTAKE. INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

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 ERA12FA280Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportHudson, KYThe pilot's decision to operate the airplane with known electrical system problems, which resulted in the in-flight failure of the electrical wiring interconnect system, loss of electrical power, and subsequent fuel starvation and loss of engine power.Apr 14, 2012 · Substantial damage