# NTSB ANC11LA060: Sonex / John D. McCarter Waiex, N18YX, Sterling, AK, July 7, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 7, 2011, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Sterling, AK - Coordinates: 60.553054, -150.838882 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.5531&lon=-150.8389&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report May 15, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration – Airworthiness, Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 81045 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC11LA060 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81045/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81045 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11LA060 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid an aerodynamic stall following a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Mccarter John D WAIEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05620J9), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Inoperative; cases with it: [Mccarter John D WAIEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md?model=05620J9), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Mccarter John D WAIEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05620J9), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Mccarter John D WAIEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05620J9), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Mccarter John D WAIEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05620J9), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Mccarter John D WAIEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05620J9), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Mccarter John D WAIEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05620J9), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he was on a postmaintenance check flight. Witnesses reported that after takeoff, when the airplane was about 200 feet above the ground, it lost all engine power and entered a rapid, nose-low descent. The witnesses said that the engine appeared to restart just before the airplane collided with the departure end of the runway. External engine and airframe examinations revealed no mechanical anomalies. An internal engine examination was not accomplished. Due to injuries sustained in the accident, the pilot was unable to remember anything about the accident. Although the initiating event for the loss of engine power was not discovered, sufficient altitude was available for the pilot to effect a recovery and make a controlled forced landing after the power loss. His delay in responding to the loss of engine power likely precipitated a rapid decay in airspeed and subsequent aerodynamic stall. ## Factual narrative On July 7, 2011, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, an amateur built, John D. McCarter, Sonex Waiex airplane, N18YX, received substantial damage when it collided with terrain following a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from runway 24 at the Sterling Airpark, Sterling, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, when the accident occurred. The sole occupant, a private pilot, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on July 7, an Alaska state trooper that responded to the site soon after the accident, said that witnesses reported that just after takeoff, as the airplane climbed to about 200 feet agl, all engine power was lost, followed by a rapid, nose low descent. The witnesses told the state trooper that the engine appeared to restart just before the airplane collided with the departure end of runway 24. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The airplane was equipped with an 80 horsepower, 2180 cc AeroVee 2.1 engine, which is a highly modified Volkswagen engine. On July 8, 2011, two Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspectors from the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office, traveled to the accident airport, and examined the airplane. The FAA inspectors reported that upon their arrival, the airplane had been moved to the pilot's home that was adjacent to the Sterling Airpark. Both inspectors reported that their examination revealed no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe. Due to injuries sustained in the accident, the pilot was unable to be interviewed until after his recovery. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on November 1, 2011, the pilot reported that he has been unable to remember anything about the accident, but mentioned that the purpose of the flight was to do a local area postmaintenance test flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N18YX](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N18YX), registered now, S/N W0018, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Sonex / John D. McCarter WAIEX - Registry model: [Mccarter John D WAIEX](https://openairdocs.org/model/mccarter-john-d-waiex) (registry code 05620J9) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: W0018 - Airframe hours: 0 - Engines: Volkswagen AeroVee 2.1 80 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Kincaid Jerry L - Registered owner: Kincaid Jerry L - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, October 14, 2010, 50 hours before - Departed: 40AK, Sterling, AK - Destination: 40AK, Sterling, AK - Airport: 40AK, Sterling Air Park, runway 24, 1,500 × 75 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 503 total, 1 in this make and model, 444 as pilot in command, 0 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: PAEN ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20110707013159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110707013159A), Jul 7, 2011: Mccarter John D WAIEX, Sterling, AK, Substantial damage. Aircraft accident, N18YX amateur built model Waiex s/n 0018 experimental registration, built by [privacy data omitted] year 2006 [privacy data omitted] pilot… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 5, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81045. 597 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 562 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365620&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365621&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.