20140416009939A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna O-1E · Fredericksburg, TX · April 16, 2014

Date: April 16, 2014 · 10:30 local
Place: Fredericksburg, TX
Airport: Silver Wings
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N50WP
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN14LA200
Reported as: Cessna O-1E
Reported engine: Contenental O-1E
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 14,360 total18 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days

N50WPRegistered now · Cessna O-1ES/N 61-2970 Airframe modelCessna O-1E

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.

Pilot and student pilot were entering airport pattern to practice touch and go training. Instructor pilot reported normal flight on downwind leg.

Turning onto base leg the engine suddently stopped. The instructor took over the controls. The instuctor pilot reported he did not have the altitude, speed or time to land on runway. The aircraft lost speed and stalled then crashed into a holding pen in a field approximatly 1/4 mile from runway causing severe injury to both pilots. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to engine both Wings, landing gear and cock pit.

Investigation from contennental manufacture engineer concluded no mechanical failure from engine.

Pilot reported student pilot not being familiar with this aircraft (just purchashed aircraft) inadvertantly mistook the magneto switch for the flap switch and turned the magnetos to the off position causing immediate engine shutdown.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT AND STUDENT PILOT WERE ENTERING AIRPORT PATTERN TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO TRAINING. INSTRUCTOR PILOT REPORTED NORMAL FLIGHT ON DOWNWIND LEG.

TURNING ONTO BASE LEG THE ENGINE SUDDENTLY STOPPED. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS. THE INSTUCTOR PILOT REPORTED HE DID NOT HAVE THE ALTITUDE, SPEED OR TIME TO LAND ON RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LOST SPEED AND STALLED THEN CRASHED INTO A HOLDING PEN IN A FIELD APPROXIMATLY 1/4 MILE FROM RUNWAY CAUSING SEVERE INJURY TO BOTH PILOTS. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO ENGINE BOTH WINGS, LANDING GEAR AND COCK PIT.

INVESTIGATION FROM CONTENNENTAL MANUFACTURE ENGINEER CONCLUDED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE FROM ENGINE.

PILOT REPORTED STUDENT PILOT NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THIS AIRCRAFT (JUST PURCHASHED AIRCRAFT) INADVERTANTLY MISTOOK THE MAGNETO SWITCH FOR THE FLAP SWITCH AND TURNED THE MAGNETOS TO THE OFF POSITION CAUSING IMMEDIATE ENGINE SHUTDOWN.

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 CEN14LA200Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFredericksburg, TXThe loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine revealed no anomalies.Apr 16, 2014 · Substantial damage