20170228005449A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Sonex Lavender, Alan P · Methuen, MA · February 28, 2017

Date: February 28, 2017 · 13:20 local
Place: Methuen, MA
Airport: Lawrence Municipal
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N315AL
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA17FA117
Reported as: Sonex Lavender, Alan P
Reported engine: JABIRU 3300
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Sport pilot

N315ALRegistration cancelled Sep 1, 2017 · Lavender Alan P SONEXS/N 1589 · Built 2016 Airframe modelLavender Alan P SONEX Engine modelJabiru 3300L4 cycle

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.

N315AL piloted by alan lavender departed runway 14 at Lawrence Municipal Airport at 1759Z. Mr. Lavender entered into left closed traffic following another airplane in the pattern. During left base for landing runway 14 the airplane went into a steep nose down trajectory turning in a spiraling motion to the right from approximately 600 AGL. No distress communication was called to ATC. N315AL crashed into a condominium complex located in Methuen, Massachusetts. After impacting the condominium complex a post fire crash started and was extinguished by the buildings fire suppression system. The pilot was the only casualty associated with this accident; no injuries were reported on the ground.

As the FAA filed it

N315AL PILOTED BY ALAN LAVENDER DEPARTED RUNWAY 14 AT LAWRENCE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AT 1759Z. MR. LAVENDER ENTERED INTO LEFT CLOSED TRAFFIC FOLLOWING ANOTHER AIRPLANE IN THE PATTERN. DURING LEFT BASE FOR LANDING RUNWAY 14 THE AIRPLANE WENT INTO A STEEP NOSE DOWN TRAJECTORY TURNING IN A SPIRALING MOTION TO THE RIGHT FROM APPROXIMATELY 600 AGL. NO DISTRESS COMMUNICATION WAS CALLED TO ATC. N315AL CRASHED INTO A CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX LOCATED IN METHUEN, MASSACHUSETTS. AFTER IMPACTING THE CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX A POST FIRE CRASH STARTED AND WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE BUILDINGS FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM. THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY CASUALTY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACCIDENT; NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED ON THE GROUND.

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 ERA17FA117Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportMethuen, MAThe pilot's failure to properly secure oil and fuel line fittings during maintenance, which resulted in an inflight engine fire, and his subsequent loss of control while maneuvering for landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention…Feb 28, 2017 · Substantial damage