What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 2, 2016, at approximately 1841Z (1241 CDT), N129LZ, a pegazair P100 experimental / amateur built airplane, impacted terrain after departure from carmi municipal airport (cul). The accident site was approximately 17 miles south / southeast of carmi municipal airport, 3MILES west / northwest of the pxv VORTAC. The aircraft was being operated by the owner under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The impact destroyed the airplane. The pilot suffered fatal injuries.
At the time of the accident, an eyewitness reported that the aircraft was flying overhead at about 400?- 500? AGL, westbound, when he heard the engine quit running. The aircraft then initiated a descending right turn, north bound, and then the engine started running again. The aircraft maintained a northerly heading, approximately ¼- ½ mile. The engine quit a second time, started a descent, then pitched up, rolled to the right, and pitched nose down impacting the ground.
Post-accident investigation revealed the aircraft came to rest in a level field, approximately 300? West of gun club road and 2700? South of state hwy 62, MT.Vernon, IN. The wreckage was contained to an area approximately 20? Wide x 60? In length. The damage is concurrent with a high angle, high energy impact with the ground. The throttle and mixture controls were in the full forward position. The fuel selector was in the left position. Both fuel bays were hydraulically ruptured, indicative of substantial fuel on-board. The electrical switches were in the ?on? Position. All flight controls had positive continuity. Observations of the leading edge slat torque tube and linkage indicate that the left and right slats deployed prior to the accident.
The pilot?s last medical exam was during the year 2012, (2500 flight hours reported). The last biennial flight review was endorsed on 05/12/2012. The owner / operator purchased the aircraft in 2007. The aircraft registry does not contain a bill of sale. The aircraft is not registered. The last entry in the maintenance records is a condition inspection performed on 07/15/2013. The pilot / owner documented changing the oil, ignition points, and spark plugs. The last entry is 11/24/2015, 489.2 hrs.
The airport manager stated he spoke with the pilot before departure. He claimed this was a routine local flight. The airport manager stated that the pilot had been working on the engine and that the pilot stated the engine was running the best it ever had. The airport manager stated that there was a problem with the left leading edge slat not deploying / sticking, the pilot stated he would have to look into that this winter.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 2, 2016, AT APPROXIMATELY 1841Z (1241 CDT), N129LZ, A PEGAZAIR P100 EXPERIMENTAL / AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE, IMPACTED TERRAIN AFTER DEPARTURE FROM CARMI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (CUL). THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17 MILES SOUTH / SOUTHEAST OF CARMI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, 3MILES WEST / NORTHWEST OF THE PXV VORTAC. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE IMPACT DESTROYED THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES.
AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AN EYEWITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING OVERHEAD AT ABOUT 400?- 500? AGL, WESTBOUND, WHEN HE HEARD THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. THE AIRCRAFT THEN INITIATED A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN, NORTH BOUND, AND THEN THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING AGAIN. THE AIRCRAFT MAINTAINED A NORTHERLY HEADING, APPROXIMATELY ¼- ½ MILE. THE ENGINE QUIT A SECOND TIME, STARTED A DESCENT, THEN PITCHED UP, ROLLED TO THE RIGHT, AND PITCHED NOSE DOWN IMPACTING THE GROUND.
POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A LEVEL FIELD, APPROXIMATELY 300? WEST OF GUN CLUB ROAD AND 2700? SOUTH OF STATE HWY 62, MT.VERNON, IN. THE WRECKAGE WAS CONTAINED TO AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 20? WIDE X 60? IN LENGTH. THE DAMAGE IS CONCURRENT WITH A HIGH ANGLE, HIGH ENERGY IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROLS WERE IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE LEFT POSITION. BOTH FUEL BAYS WERE HYDRAULICALLY RUPTURED, INDICATIVE OF SUBSTANTIAL FUEL ON-BOARD. THE ELECTRICAL SWITCHES WERE IN THE ?ON? POSITION. ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS HAD POSITIVE CONTINUITY. OBSERVATIONS OF THE LEADING EDGE SLAT TORQUE TUBE AND LINKAGE INDICATE THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT SLATS DEPLOYED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
THE PILOT?S LAST MEDICAL EXAM WAS DURING THE YEAR 2012, (2500 FLIGHT HOURS REPORTED). THE LAST BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW WAS ENDORSED ON 05/12/2012. THE OWNER / OPERATOR PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT IN 2007. THE AIRCRAFT REGISTRY DOES NOT CONTAIN A BILL OF SALE. THE AIRCRAFT IS NOT REGISTERED. THE LAST ENTRY IN THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS IS A CONDITION INSPECTION PERFORMED ON 07/15/2013. THE PILOT / OWNER DOCUMENTED CHANGING THE OIL, IGNITION POINTS, AND SPARK PLUGS. THE LAST ENTRY IS 11/24/2015, 489.2 HRS.
THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED HE SPOKE WITH THE PILOT BEFORE DEPARTURE. HE CLAIMED THIS WAS A ROUTINE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE ENGINE AND THAT THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING THE BEST IT EVER HAD. THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE LEFT LEADING EDGE SLAT NOT DEPLOYING / STICKING, THE PILOT STATED HE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT THIS WINTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.