# Accident 20180820011899A: Causey James E ACRODUSTER II, Phoenix, AZ, August 20, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 20, 2018, 06:30 local time
- Place: Phoenix, AZ
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.6836° N, 112.0656° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6836&lon=-112.0656&mi=10
- Aircraft: N787WM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N787WM-2021-07-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Causey James E ACRODUSTER II (registry code 8660553, https://openairdocs.org/model/causey-james-e-acroduster-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming AEIO-360 series (registry code 41522, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CAUSEY JAMES E ACRODUSTER II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING AEIO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 918 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR18FA229](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA229) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180820011899A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON AUGUST 20, 2018 AT 06:30 LOCAL WHILE FLYING IN THE PATTERN AT THE DEER VALLEY AIRPORT (DVT), AIRCRAFT N787WM, CRASHED ONE QUARTER MILE FROM THE RUNWAY AT THE INTERSECTION OF DEER VALLEY ROAD AND 7TH STREET IN PHOENIX ARIZONA. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC), THEODORE RICH, CERTIFICATE NUMBER 3778291 INITIALLY SURVIVED THE CRASH BUT WAS LATER WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL. THE PASSENGER, ALSO A CERTIFICATED PILOT, ELAINE CARPENTER, CERTIFICATE NUMBER 4047866, WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.

THE AIRCRAFT, AN AMATEUR BUILT (JAMES E. CAUSEY) ACRODUSTER II, WAS PURCHASED BY GROUND LOOP AVIATION LLC ON AUGUST 18, TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT HAD PERFORMED FOUR TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS SUCCESSFULLY AND WAS CIRCLING IN THE PATTERN TO ATTEMPT A FIFTH LANDING. A VIDEO RECORDING DEVICE WAS FOUND INTACT MOUNTED TO THE LEFT UPPER WING OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RECORDED THE ENTIRE DAY?S FLIGHT, INCLUDING THE ACCIDENT. ON THE FIFTH ATTEMPT THE VIDEO SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWING JUST PRIOR TO ENTERING THE FINAL TURN TO BASE AT RUNWAY 25L. WHILE TURNING THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT PULLED UP AND APPEARED TO STALL. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN THE STREET INTERSECTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHEN IT STRUCK THREE VEHICLES STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION. TWO OF THE VEHICLES SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AND THE THIRD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGED. NONE OF THE DRIVERS OF THE VEHICLES INVOLVED WERE INJURED ALTHOUGH ONE WAS TRANSPORTED FOR PRECAUTIONARY REASONS.

POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOGS INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. WE CONCLUDE THAT THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN ANY OF THE NINE FAA RESPONSIBILITIES VIOLATED OR INVOLVED WITH THIS ACCIDENT.

## 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 WPR18FA229](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA229), Aug 20, 2018: James E Causey Acroduster II (N787WM), Phoenix, AZ, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: An exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering for landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin at an altitude too low for recovery.

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.

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