# Accident 20121218028809A: Russom Roy G HUMMEL H5, Calhoun, GA, December 18, 2012 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 18, 2012, 14:00 local time - Place: Calhoun, GA - Airport: Tom B. David Field - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 31.3292° N, 84.9401° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.3292&lon=-84.9401&mi=10 - Aircraft: N156FH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N156FH-2013-02-01) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Russom Roy G HUMMEL H5 (registry code 056295Y, https://openairdocs.org/model/russom-roy-g-hummel-h5) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Volkswagen CONVERSION (registry code 63501, https://openairdocs.org/engine/volkswagen-conversion) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RUSSOM ROY G HUMMEL H5 - Reported engine: VOLKSWAGEN CONVERSION - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 142 total, 4 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA13LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA093) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121218028809A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON DECEMBER 18, 2012 AT 1642PM APPROXIMATELY, AN INSPECTOR FROM THIS OFFICE ARRIVED AT TOM B DAVID FIELD (CZL) CALHOUN GA. SPECIFICALLY A LOCATION IN A TREE LINE BETWEEN A FIELD AND SMALL CREEK (221 SALEM ROAD). UPON ARRIVAL THE POINT OF CONTACT, MR. COOPER OF THE CALHOUN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPUTY CORONER, BO NICHOLSON ESCORTED THIS INSPECTOR TO THE CRASH SITE LOCATED IN A DENSE THICKET APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS FROM THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE AIRPORT PROPERTY APPROXIMATELY MIDFIELD. THE CORONER WAS GIVEN THE TOX BOX FOR THE DECEASED PIC. THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED (N156FH) WAS BEING OPERATED AS AN ?EXPERIMENTAL- OPERATING AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT?. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BUILT BY ROY G. RUSSOM AS A HUMMEL H5. THE AIRCRAFT IS CONSTRUCTED PRIMARILY AS METAL AND IS A SINGLE PLACE AIRCRAFT WITH A REVMASTER R2200 D POWERPLANT. THE LANDING GEAR IS CONVENTIONAL (TAIL WHEEL). THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETED ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2012 AND WAS ISSUED A SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND APPROPRIATE OPERATING LIMITATIONS. ACCORDING TO THE PIC/ OWNERS, PILOTS LOGBOOK THE AIRCRAFT WAS FIRST FLOWN ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 BY MR ROY RUSSOM. SINCE THAT FIRST FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT HAS ACCUMULATED 3.8 HOURS NOT INCLUDING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES. ACCORDING TO WITNESS STATEMENTS FURNISHED, THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED TO DEPART RUNWAY 17 AT CALHOUN AT 1358 AND APPEARED TO BE A NORMAL DEPARTURE AND THE TYPICAL SOUND THAT THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER FOR TAKE OFF. AFTER A NORMAL GROUND ROLL THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND BEGAN TO CLIMB. ALL APPEARED NORMAL. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO MAKE A SLOW ROLL TO THE RIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AGL. ONE WITNESS, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FOCUSED ON THIS BECAUSE IT WAS ODD IN HIS OPINION TO SEE A TURN AT THAT LOW ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO ROLL RIGHT SLOWLY AND WAS AT A 90 DEGREE BANK AND A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 300 DEGREES AND DESCENDED INTO THE TREE AREA RIGHT WING DOWN AND CRASHED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONTACTED 911 IMMEDIATELY. FIRST RESPONDERS AT THE SCENE FOUND THAT THE PIC, MR. ROY RUSSOM WAS FATALLY INJURED BY CRASH FORCES AND POST CRASH FIRE. 1. THE PIC MR. ROY RUSSOM HOLDS A CURRENT PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE (1725490) WITH AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND RATING. 2. MR. RUSSOM, ACCORDING TO HIS PERSONAL PILOTS RECORDS (LOGBOOK) HAS A TOTAL TIME OF 142 HOURS. CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE LOGBOOK REVEALS SOME MATH ERRORS AND IS STATED AS FOLLOWS. UP TO JULY OF 1969 HE HAS A TOTAL OF 121.0 HOURS DAYLIGHT, 8.7 NIGHT, 100.6 DUAL AND 41.5 SOLO. THERE IS NO DOCUMENTED FLYING ACTIVITY FROM JULY 1969 UNTIL MARCH 16, 2012. A FLIGHT REVIEW IS DOCUMENTED ON 3/16/2012 IN A J3-85 AIRCRAFT. FROM MARCH 2012 UNTIL THE CRASH THE PIC ACCUMULATED AN ADDITIONAL 21 HOURS OF WHICH, 3.8 IS SOLO IN HIS AIRCRAFT (N156FH). 3. ACCORDING TO FAA RECORDS, MR. RUSSOM DOES NOT HOLD A CURRENT MEDICAL. OPERATION OF THIS AIRCRAFT MEETS THE DEFINITION IN CFR PART 1.1 AS A LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT AND A CURRENT DRIVER?S LICENSE IS APPROPRIATE TO MEET THE MEDICAL REQUIREMENT. 4. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCUMULATED 3.8 HOURS TOTAL TIME. THE CONDITION INSPECTION WAS NOT DUE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2013 AS REQUIRED BY THE OPERATING LIMITATIONS. 5. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED IN ?PHASE 1? AS REQUIRED BY THE OPERATING LIMITATIONS. 6. A SEARCH OF THE HANGAR AND AREAS DID NOT REVEAL THE ACTUAL LOGBOOKS FOR THE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE OR PROPELLER. SOME BUILD INFORMATION WAS PRESENT. INVESTIGATION, ACCIDENT SITE 12/18/2012: UPON ARRIVAL AT THE SITE THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATIONS WERE MADE. THE INITIAL IMPACT AREA (34DEGREES 27? 2? N 84 DEG 55? 50 ? W ) BEGAN IN A WHITE OAK TREE APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET UP AND PIECES OF FIBERGLASS AND STYROFOAM FROM THE RIGHT WING TIP ON THE GROUND AND IN THE TREES. SEVERAL LARGE BRANCHES WERE BROKEN OFF. THE AIRCRAFT HEADING AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH WAS 292 DEGREES APPROXIMATELY. THE AIRCRAFT PASSED THROUGH THE TREES A 60 DEGREE ANGLE AND STRUCK THE GROUND. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ERA13LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA093), Dec 18, 2012: Russom Roy G Hummel H5 (N156FH), Calhoun, GA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s impairment or incapacitation due to the effects of medication, worsening cardiac disease, or cardiac arrhythmia, which resulted in his loss of control of the airplane. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.