20121121027409A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Brian P North RAF SE5A REPLICA · Watkins, CO · November 21, 2012

Date: November 21, 2012 · 14:58 local
Place: Watkins, CO
Airport: Front Range Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N17SE
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN13FA066
Reported as: Brian P North RAF SE5A Replica
Reported engine: Continental O-200
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Private pilot, unknown or foreign certificate
Pilot’s flight hours: 491 total6 in the last 90 days

N17SERegistration cancelled Jan 3, 2018 · Brian P North RAF SE5A REPLICAS/N PFA 020-13793 · Built 2008 Airframe modelBrian P North RAF SE5A REPLICA Engine modelContinental O-200A4 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.

On October 21, 2012, at 14:58 MDT, aircraft: N17SE, model: SE5A replica (experimental aircraft), impacted the ground shortly after take-off, at the Front Range Airport, Watkins, Colorado. The aircraft took off and the pilot reported that he was having a difficult time maintaining altitude. Witnesses said, that the aircraft took off and started to climb and then settled back down towards the runway. The aircraft then appeared to regain power climbed to approximately 200-300 feet. The aircraft then slowly turned to the right for a down wind leg. The aircraft again started to lose altitude and came close to the ground. The aircraft pitched up and then stalled to the right and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot received fatal injuries. VMC conditions existed at the time. The aircraft had approximately 14 hours total time and was still in phase one of the experimental operating limitations.

As the FAA filed it

ON OCTOBER 21, 2012, AT 14:58 MDT, AIRCRAFT: N17SE, MODEL: SE5A REPLICA (EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT), IMPACTED THE GROUND SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, AT THE FRONT RANGE AIRPORT, WATKINS, COLORADO. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF AND THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME MAINTAINING ALTITUDE.WITNESSES SAID, THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF AND STARTED TO CLIMB AND THEN SETTLED BACK DOWN TOWARDS THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN APPEARED TO REGAIN POWER CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 200-300 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SLOWLY TURNED TO THE RIGHT FOR A DOWN WIND LEG. THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN STARTED TO LOSE ALTITUDE AND CAME CLOSE TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP AND THEN STALLED TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED.THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. VMC CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT HAD APPROXIMATELY 14 HOURS TOTAL TIME AND WAS STILL IN PHASE ONE OF THE EXPERIMENTAL OPERATING LIMITATIONS.

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 CEN13FA066Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportWatkins, COThe pilot’s loss of airplane control and inadvertent stall while attempting to return for landing.Nov 21, 2012 · Substantial damage