# NTSB ATL99LA092: Murray R. Gardner FLY Baby, N96MG, Mount Olive, NC, May 22, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 22, 1999, 13:05 local (17:05 UTC) - Place: Mount Olive, NC - Coordinates: 35.190979, -78.059135 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1910&lon=-78.0591&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report May 17, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46363 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL99LA092 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46363/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA092 ## Probable cause A fatigue failure of the flywire bracket that resulted in the inflight separation of the left wing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise - wing,wing attachment fitting - fatigue (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, descent - uncontrolled - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The pilot recalled that as the airplane descended through 1700 feet, the left wing assembly came up over the cockpit and separated from the airframe. The pilot reported that he always flew this airplane wearing a parachute, and as the airplane entered a spin he was ejected from the cockpit. After clearing the airframe, the pilot pulled the ripcord to deploy the parachute; a full parachute canopy was achieved 300 feet above the ground. During the examination of the airframe the left wing flying wire attachment plate was located and was discovered to have failed. The attachment plate fracture faces were examined with an optical microscope and were found to contain banding, typical of fatigue cracking, on both sides of the attachment hole. The fatigue cracking propagated nearly through the thickness of the plate. Elevated oxygen peaks, indicative of corrosion deposits, were also discovered. ## Factual narrative On May 22, 1999, at 1305 eastern daylight time, a Murray R. Gardner Fly Baby, N96MG, collided with the ground after the left wing separated in flight from the airframe as the pilot initiated a cruise descent to 1500 feet near Mount Olive, North Carolina. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The air transport pilot received minor injuries; the airplane was destroyed. The flight departed Greenville, North Carolina, at 1000. According to the pilot, because the airplane had an open cockpit, the ambient temperature at the initial cruise altitude was too cool, and he decided to descend to a lower altitude for warmer temperatures. The pilot recalled that as the airplane descended through 1700 feet, the left wing assembly came up over the cockpit and separated from the airframe. The pilot reported that he always flew this airplane wearing a parachute, and as the airplane entered a spin he was ejected from the cockpit. After clearing the airframe, the pilot pulled the ripcord to deploy the parachute; a full parachute canopy was achieved 300 feet above the ground. The airplane collided with the ground in a nose low attitude; the pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was recovered from the accident site for examination. During the examination of the airframe the left wing flying wire attachment plate was located and was discovered to have failed. The attachment plate fracture faces were examined with an optical microscope and were found to contain banding, typical of fatigue cracking, on both sides of the attachment hole. The fatigue cracking propagated nearly through the thickness of the plate. Elevated oxygen peaks, indicative of corrosion deposits, were also discovered. According to the pilot, the airplane had a total of 216 flight hours. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N96MG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N96MG-2013-10-31), registration cancelled 2013-10-31, S/N 2-89, built 1992 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Murray R. Gardner FLY BABY - Registry model: [Gardner Murray R JR FLYBABY](https://openairdocs.org/model/gardner-murray-r-jr-flybaby) (registry code 14101H2) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 2-89 - Airframe hours: 216 - Engines: Continental A65 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Scott A. Hinton - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, August 2, 1998, 25 hours before - Departed: PGV, GREENVILLE, NC - Destination: LBT, LUMBERTON, NC ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: center; flight hours: 4,100 total, 40 in this make and model, 2,700 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 12 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 55 °F - Observed at: GSB, 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 19990522037179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990522037179A), May 22, 1999: Amtr FLYBABY, Mount Olive, NC, Substantial damage. (.4) The pilot recalled that as the airplane descended through 1700 feet, the left wing assembly came up over the cockpit and separated from the airframe. The… 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.