# NTSB ATL93LA077: Myers Avid Aircraft Flyer, N31187, Winnsboro, SC, April 18, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 18, 1993, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Winnsboro, SC - Coordinates: 34.369621, -81.079162 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3696&lon=-81.0792&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 30, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3201 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL93LA077 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3201/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL93LA077 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain the airspeed above the stall speed, during the forced landing. A factor was the undetermined engine malfunction. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb - reason for occurrence undetermined (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Loss of control - in flight, descent - emergency - airspeed(vs) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 800 FEET AGL, DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. A 180 DEGREE TURN WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY FOR LANDING. ABOUT 60 FEET AGL, OVER THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE STALLED; TOO LOW FOR THE PILOT TO RECOVER. THE AIRPLANE HIT THE GROUND IN A RIGHT WING AND NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AN ENTRY WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT LOG BOOK THAT INDICATED A PREVIOUS ENGINE MALFUNCTION BECAUSE OF A CARBURETOR SETTING THAT WAS TOO LEAN. HOWEVER, AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT DID NOT REVEAL AN ABNORMALITY, AND THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED AT IDLE POWER. ## Factual narrative On April 18, 1993, at about 1430 eastern daylight time a Light Aero, Inc. Avid Flyer, home built airplane, N31187, collided with the ground during an attempted forced landing at Winnsboro, South Carolina. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. There were no injuries to the private pilot, while the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that during the initial climb after take off from runway 4, at about 800 feet above the ground, the engine began losing power. A 180 degree turn was made and the airplane aligned for a landing on runway 22. The pilot stated that at about 60 feet above the ground, the airplane stalled. The right wing and nose of the aircraft impacted the ground. An inspector from the South Carolina Flight Standards District Office examined the wreckage. He reported that both forward spark plugs and the propeller were broken off during the impact. One good spark plug from the rear cylinder was placed in the forward cylinder, and the engine operated at idle power. He also reported that the spark plug electrodes were light brown in color. He noted that the engine had quit previously, at about five hours total time. The pilot said that the carburetor had been set at too lean a mixture, and when adjusted the engine had operated correctly. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N31187](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N31187-1993-07-28), registration cancelled 1993-07-28, S/N 767 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MYERS AVID AIRCRAFT FLYER (AVID AIRCR) - Registry model: [Myers Ralph David AVID FLYER D](https://openairdocs.org/model/myers-ralph-david-avid-flyer-d) (registry code 05618CE) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 767 - Airframe hours: 18 - Engines: ROTAX 582UL 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Myers, Ralph D. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 19, 1993, 1 hours before - Airport: FDW, Fairfield County, runway 22, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 171 total, 8 in this make and model, 131 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 5 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: CAE, 25 nm away ## 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 19930418009469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930418009469A), Apr 18, 1993: Amtr AVIDFLYER, Winnsboro, SC, Substantial damage. Engine lost power on climbout. Stalled turning back. Reported problems with carburetor mixture set too lean. 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.