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20181214018589A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Simmons Thomas S MXLII SPORT · Fredericksburg, VA · December 14, 2018

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 14, 2018 · 07:44 local
Place
Fredericksburg, VA
Phase of flight
Maneuver
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N350FT
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA19FA066
Reported as
Simmons Thomas S Mxlii Sport
Reported engine
ROTAX 582DCDI
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
300 total20 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days
N350FTRegistration cancelled Mar 5, 2022 · Simmons Thomas S MXLII SPORTS/N 0936Airframe modelSimmons Thomas S MXLII SPORTEngine modelRotax 582DCDI2 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.

The pilot had plans drawn out and parts in his hangar that matched the addtions on N350FT. The pilot constructed and installed doors and windows from plexi glass and clear flexible plastic. This was noted in a statement from the wife when speaking to police. The pilot was seen at the airport the morning of the accident. He taxiied out and departed from runway 24. This was on airport surveillance footage. After departure it shows a turn out to the field south of kezf. At this point he was out of view of surveillance footage but a nearby business was casually watching him from a window. Statements from these two individuals claim he just maneuvered around for a few minutes before making a turn and crashing. They did not notice if the parachute was deployed prior to impact. Upon inspection of the wreckage the parachute was fully extended and had inflated. The cord had wrapped around the propellor blade several times. Medical examination did not reveal any issues that would contribute to the accident.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT HAD PLANS DRAWN OUT AND PARTS IN HIS HANGAR THAT MATCHED THE ADDTIONS ON N350FT. THE PILOT CONSTRUCTED AND INSTALLED DOORS AND WINDOWS FROM PLEXI GLASS AND CLEAR FLEXIBLE PLASTIC. THIS WAS NOTED IN A STATEMENT FROM THE WIFE WHEN SPEAKING TO POLICE. THE PILOT WAS SEEN AT THE AIRPORT THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT. HE TAXIIED OUT AND DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 24. THIS WAS ON AIRPORT SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE. AFTER DEPARTURE IT SHOWS A TURN OUT TO THE FIELD SOUTH OF KEZF. AT THIS POINT HE WAS OUT OF VIEW OF SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE BUT A NEARBY BUSINESS WAS CASUALLY WATCHING HIM FROM A WINDOW. STATEMENTS FROM THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS CLAIM HE JUST MANEUVERED AROUND FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE MAKING A TURN AND CRASHING. THEY DID NOT NOTICE IF THE PARACHUTE WAS DEPLOYED PRIOR TO IMPACT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE THE PARACHUTE WAS FULLY EXTENDED AND HAD INFLATED. THE CORD HAD WRAPPED AROUND THE PROPELLOR BLADE SEVERAL TIMES. MEDICAL EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY ISSUES THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE ACCIDENT.

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 ERA19FA066Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportFredericksburg, VAThe pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which led to an aerodynamic stall while turning in the traffic pattern at low altitude.Dec 14, 2018 · Substantial damage