20180621008369A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Schempp Hirth Flugzeugbau ARCUS M · Richfield, UT · June 21, 2018

Date: June 21, 2018 · 15:27 local
Place: Richfield, UT
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N16DN
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR18LA177
Reported as: Schempp Hirth Flugzeugbau Arcus M
Reported engine: SOLO 262502I
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,500 total340 in this make and model53 in the last 90 days

N16DNRegistration cancelled Oct 29, 2018 · Schempp Hirth Flugzeugbau ARCUS MS/N 125 · Built 2015 Airframe modelSchempp Hirth Flugzeugbau ARCUS M Engine modelSolo 262502IReciprocating

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 reports the rudder pedal jammed to the floor. Pilot verified it was not due to the passenger in the back. Aircraft started a turning motion. Pilot ordered passenger to bail out, then pilot bailed out as the wings were starting to come off. Fuselage has not been located; aircraft has not been recovered or inspected due to location.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT REPORTS THE RUDDER PEDAL JAMMED TO THE FLOOR. PILOT VERIFIED IT WAS NOT DUE TO THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK. AIRCRAFT STARTED A TURNING MOTION. PILOT ORDERED PASSENGER TO BAIL OUT, THEN PILOT BAILED OUT AS THE WINGS WERE STARTING TO COME OFF. FUSELAGE HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED; AIRCRAFT HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED OR INSPECTED DUE TO LOCATION.

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 WPR18LA177Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRichfield, UTAn inflight loss of control and subsequent inflight breakup for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.Jun 21, 2018 · Destroyed