# NTSB CEN09LA196: Fritz RV3-A, N933WF, Greencastle, IN, March 7, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 7, 2009, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Greencastle, IN - Coordinates: 39.633609, -86.813613 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6336&lon=-86.8136&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report November 9, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 73456 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09LA196 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73456/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73456 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA196 ## Probable cause A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the emergency descent. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Fritz Walter E RV3-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056246H), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified; cases with it: [Fritz Walter E RV3-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=056246H), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Fritz Walter E RV3-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md?model=056246H), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Fritz Walter E RV3-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=056246H), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/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 (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Fritz Walter E RV3-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=056246H), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Fritz Walter E RV3-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=056246H), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Fritz Walter E RV3-A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=056246H), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane was observed descending while banking. A witness said the airplane's engine was "quiet, low RPM." The airplane lost altitude, the bank angle increased to 90 degrees, the engine revved, and the airplane impacted terrain in a nose-down attitude. The pilot reported that he had fuel pressure and engine problems. The wreckage was examined and residual fuel was found. No preimpact anomalies were detected during the examination. Wind conditions at an observation facility about 25 nautical miles from the airport were from 200 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 23 knots. ## Factual narrative On March 7, 2009, about 1030 eastern standard time, N933WF, an experimental amateur-built Fritz RV3-A, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power on initial climb from the Putnam County Airport (4I7), near Greencastle, Indiana. The private pilot was seriously injured, was hospitalized, and subsequently died while hospitalized on March 26, 2009. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was on file for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from 4I7 and was destined for the Hendricks County Airport-Gordon Graham Field (2R2), near Indianapolis, Indiana. The airport manager at 4I7 reported that the accident pilot “departed the field at approximately 1030 without requesting or receiving any services. Nothing looked abnormal to me during his takeoff.” According to eyewitness statements, the airplane was descending while banking and the engine was "quiet, low RPM." The airplane lost altitude, the bank angle increased to 90 degrees, the engine revved, and the airplane impacted terrain nose down. According to one of the witnesses it appeared that the pilot was trying to land with an engine problem. The witnesses drove to the accident site and talked to the pilot. The pilot reportedly indicated that he had a fuel pressure problem and engine problems. One of the witnesses stated that the engine was running at impact. The pilot reportedly said that he was flying from 2R2 for breakfast at 4I7. The smell of fuel was present at the accident site and when asked, the pilot indicated to the witnesses that he turned off the ignition and fuel. The pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot certificate with a single engine land rating. He held a Third Class Medical certificate that was issued on July 8, 1996 with a limitation that it was “valid for student pilot purposes only.” The pilot subsequently applied for a Third Class Medical certificate on April 12, 1999. That application was deferred due to his uncorrected vision. The pilot reported his total flight time was 1,700 hours on the application for that medical certificate and he reported that he had accumulated 7 hours of flight time in the six months prior to that application. N933WF was a single-engine, single-seat, low-wing, experimental amateur-built Fritz RV3-A, monoplane. Airworthiness documents indicated the airplane was powered by a Lycoming O-320-E3D engine, serial number L-36447-27A. An examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies. At 0954, the recorded weather at the Indianapolis International Airport was: Wind 200 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 23 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition scattered 4,700 feet, overcast 250,000 feet; temperature 19 degrees C; dew point 12 degrees C; altimeter 29.94 inches of mercury. The airport manager at 4I7 reported, “The conditions at the time were blustery. ... The winds were 230 @ 11 [knots] gusting to21 and the temperature was 20C.” An autopsy was not performed on the pilot. An Indiana State Department of Health Certificate of Death was issued. That certificate indicated the cause of death was, “Renal Failure and Aviation Accident.” ## Aircraft - Registration: [N933WF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N933WF-2009-04-17), registration cancelled 2009-04-17, S/N 11316, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FRITZ RV3-A - Registry model: [Fritz Walter E RV3-A](https://openairdocs.org/model/fritz-walter-e-rv3-a) (registry code 056246H) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-320-E3D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-e3d) (registry code 42127, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 11316 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E3D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: 4I7, Greencastle, IN - Destination: 2R2, Indianapolis, IN - Airport: 4I7, Putnam County Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 79; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; seat: single; flight hours: 1,700 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 200° at 16 knots, gusting 23 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg - Observed at: IND, 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 20090307010739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090307010739A), Mar 7, 2009: Amtr RV3A, Greencastle, IN, Destroyed, 1 fatal. (-23) On 3/7/2009 at approximately 1025 EST a fixed wing, fritz walter e. RV3-A experimental, amateur built aircraft, N933WF, s/n # 11316, single engine… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 30, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73456. 354 KB in all. - Airport Manager's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 38 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316517&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airport%20Manager%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Witness Statements From Police Report (item 2, .PDF, 316 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316518&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements%20From%20Police%20Report-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.