# Accident 20130725014699A: Clayton Gerald H GLASTAR GS-1, Columbus, IN, July 25, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 25, 2013, 09:32 local time
- Place: Columbus, IN
- Airport: Columbus Municipal Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.2342° N, 85.9000° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2342&lon=-85.9000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N513GC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N513GC-2016-08-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Clayton Gerald H GLASTAR GS-1 (registry code 05619CQ, https://openairdocs.org/model/clayton-gerald-h-glastar-gs-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Subaru ALL MDLS A/B (registry code 59050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/subaru-all-mdls-a-b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CLAYTON GERALD H GLASTAR GS-1
- Reported engine: NSI AERO PRODUCTS /SUBARU AERO SUBARU / EJ22
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 290 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN13LA433](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA433) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130725014699A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JULY 25, 2013, ABOUT 0932 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT GLASTAR GS-1, N513GC, WAS DESTROYED AFTER IMPACTING A TREE AND RESIDENCE AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, COLUMBUS, INDIANA. A SUBSEQUENT POST-CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT AFT OF THE ENGINE FIREWALL AND A LARGE PORTION OF THE RESIDENCE.  THE PRIVATE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES (AUGUST 2, 2013) AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE POST-CRASH FIRE, WHERE THEY EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE FROM FIRST RESPONDERS TO THE SCENE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91.  THE FLIGHT DEPARTED COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (BAK), COLUMBUS, INDIANA AT 0929 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME.

ACCORDING TO AUDIO TAPES PROVIDED BY THE CONTRACT CONTROL TOWER AT COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT THE INTENT OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT THREE TOUCH AND GOES AND WAS CLEARED TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 23 FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS ?LEFT CLOSE, REPORT BASE? (NOTE, THIS IS CONTRARY TO FAA FROM 8020-9 ? RIGHT TRAFFIC).

PASSENGER INTERVIEW STATEMENTS INDICATE THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS NOTED DURING TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO PATTERN HEIGHT OF 1500 FEET IN A STRONG CLIMB.  PASSENGER STATED THAT AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED DOWNWIND, HE OBSERVED THE PILOT FRANTICALLY WORKING WITH THE ELECTRIC PROPELLER PITCH CONTROL SWITCH AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING WIDE OPEN. HE OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT LESS THAN 1000 FEET AND DESCENDING RAPIDLY. THE PASSENGER STATED HE TOUCHED THE CONTROL STICK AND THEN LET GO OF THE STICK AS IT APPEARED TO BE FULLY BACK. HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT NEVER DROPPED A WING DURING THIS ACTION.

THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE RESIDENTIAL LOT AND IMPACTED THE RESIDENCE'S LIVING ROOM ROOF CONTINUING THROUGH THE ROOF AND EAST WALL OF THE RESIDENCE COMING TO REST (BEARING OF 125 DEGREES) APPROXIMATELY 53 FEET FROM THE BASE OF THE IMPACTED TREE.

THE AIRCRAFT AND PILOT LOGBOOKS WERE NOT RECOVERABLE FROM THE AIRCRAFT.

SUBSEQUENT POST-CRASH INVESTIGATIONS INDICATE THAT THE PROPELLER WAS DETERMINED TO BE IN NEGATIVE PITCH AT IMPACT AND THE ELECTRIC PITCH CONTROL MOTOR WAS NOT OPERABLE WHEN SPECIFIED VOLTAGE WAS APPLIED.

## 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 CEN13LA433](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA433), Jul 25, 2013: Clayton Gerald H Glastar GS-1 (N513GC), Columbus, IN, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Slippage in the engine clutch and gear reduction module and a resultant uncommanded movement of the propeller blades into reverse thrust.

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.