# Accident 20150621010579A: Czech Sport Aircraft As PIPER SPORT, Holly Ridge, NC, June 21, 2015 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 21, 2015, 15:30 local time - Place: Holly Ridge, NC - Airport: Topsail Airpark - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.4714° N, 77.6033° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4714&lon=-77.6033&mi=10 - Aircraft: N35EP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N35EP-2015-12-11) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Czech Sport PIPER SPORT (registry code 0600073, https://openairdocs.org/model/czech-sport-piper-sport) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Rotax 912ULS series (registry code 55572, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CZECH SPORT AIRCRAFT AS PIPER SPORT - Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,900 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA15FA245](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15FA245) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150621010579A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 1530. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE DEPARTED TOPSAIL AIRPARK (01NC) AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 ENROUTE TO ALBERT J. ELLIS AIRPORT (OAJ), JACKSONVILLE, NC. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILES SOUTHWEST OF 01NC, ON A COURSE OF 210 DEGREES. COORDINATES OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE ARE: IMPACT LOCATION: 34 28.299N 77 36.216W UPON ARRIVAL AT THE SCENE AT 1230, MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2015. THE PIPER SPORT WAS LYING INVERTED, THE NOSE OF WHICH WAS BURIED APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET, IN THE DIRECTION OF 210 DEGREES. THE PILOTS REMAINS HAD BEEN REMOVED, BUT WERE RECOVERED 55 FEET FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL (210 DEGREES). THE AIRCRAFTS TOWBAR WAS ALSO FOUND IN THE SIMILAR AREA. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TWO SMALL TREES (5 INCHES ROUND), AT AN ALTITUDE OF NO MORE THAN 6 FEET, ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 210 DEGREES. THE IMPACT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 1.1 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF RUNWAY 21 AT TOPSAIL AIRPARK (01NC), NC. BOTH WINGS IMPACTED NEARLY SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH TREES MEASURING 4-5 INCHES AROUND, BOTH WINGS WERE PENETRATED TO THE SPAR. THE DEBRIS FIELD WAS COMPACT, AND APPEARED TO BE HIGH ENERGY, HIGH ANGLE IMPACT. THE ANGLE OF IMPACT/DESCENT IS IN EXCESS OF 65 DEGREES, WITH THE ENGINE RESTING NEARLY 90 DEGREES VERTICAL. THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND GREATER THAN 65 DEGREES VERTICAL AND CREATED A SUBSEQUENT DEPRESSION 4 FEET DEEP. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE BURIED, AND THE FUSELAGE SUFFERED COMPRESSION DAMAGE OVER 1 FOOT. THE FUSELAGE FOLDED ONTO ITS TOP, WITH A BEND IN THE AREA OF THE FIREWALL. THE RUDDER WAS FOUND TOUCHING THE GROUND IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, ALBEIT INVERTED. LITTLE FUEL COULD BE DETECTED IN THE TANKS OR ON THE GROUND, AND VIRTUALLY NO SMELL EXISTED. HOWEVER, BLUE STAINING WAS NOTED NEAR THE FUEL TANKS AREA ON VISUAL OBSERVATION. THERE WAS NO FIRE. AVIONICS AND ELECTRONICS WERE DAMAGED. FLAPS APPEARED TO BE UP, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SELECTED TO THE RIGHT TANK, ALTHOUGH NOT FULLY IN THE RIGHT DETENT. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED, WITH ALL CABLES (RUDDER), AND AILERON CONTROL RODS INTACT. THE AIRCRAFT EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER (121.5) WAS NOT EMITTING AT THE TIME OF ARRIVAL AT THE SCENE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD JUST UNDERGONE AN ANNUAL CONDITION INSPECTION. TO DATE NO COPIES OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK CERT OR MEDICAL HAVE BEEN OBTAINED, AND THE WHEREABOUTS ARE UNKNOWN. ## 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 ERA15FA245](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15FA245), Jun 21, 2015: Czech Sport Piper Sport (N35EP), Holly Ridge, NC, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control after the cockpit canopy opened during initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to securely lock the canopy before takeoff. 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.