CEN10LA001

NTSB accident investigation · Dusenberry Mark J 1905 Wright Flyer · Dayton, OH · October 1, 2009

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
October 1, 2009, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
Place
Dayton, OH
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N3635NDusenberry Mark J 1905 Wright Flyer
Defining event
Enroute-cruise: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 28, 2010
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA-CIN-FSDO
FAA report
20091001053919A
Case key
74836

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the flight, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Findings · 3

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Wind: tailwindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specifiedDusenberry Mark J 1905 WRIGHT FLYER: 1 caseAll aircraft: 594 cases
Performance/control parametersAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedDusenberry Mark J 1905 WRIGHT FLYER: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,269 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The airplane, which was built by the pilot, was a replica of the Wright Brothers 1905 airplane. The purpose of the flight was to practice in preparation for the 104th Anniversary of Practical Flight celebration. The accident occurred on the second flight of the day. After takeoff, the airplane climbed to an altitude of 15 to 20 feet, then entered a shallow descending right bank. The wings of the airplane leveled and the nose pitched up. The nose of the airplane then dropped and the airplane impacted the terrain. The airplane received substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and elevator. A 4-knot tailwind prevailed at the time of the accident. Postaccident inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions.

Factual narrative

On October 1, 2009, at 0930 eastern daylight time, an amateur built experimental Dusenberry 1905 Wright Flyer, N3635N, collided with the terrain following a loss of control shortly after taking off from the Huffman Prairie Flying Field at the Wright-Patterson AFB (FFO), Dayton, Ohio. The pilot received serious injuries. The airplane received substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and elevator. The local flight was being operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated just prior to the accident. The accident occurred on the second flight of the day. A series of photos were submitted documenting both flights. On the accident flight, the photos show the airplane prior to takeoff up to and including the accident. After takeoff, the airplane climbed to an altitude of 15 to 20 feet. The airplane then entered a shallow descending right bank. The wings of the airplane leveled and the nose pitched up. The nose of the airplane then dropped and the airplane impacted the terrain. The airplane, which was built by the pilot, was a replica of the Wright Brothers 1905 airplane. The purpose of the flight was to practice in preparation for the 104th Anniversary of Practical Flight celebration. The pilot's logbook shows that he flew a total of 39 flights in the airplane. These flights totaled approximately 27 minutes of flight time. A 4 knot tailwind prevailed at the time of the accident. A post accident inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any pre-impact failures/malfunctions.

Aircraft

Registration
N3635N
Reported as
Dusenberry Mark J 1905 Wright Flyer
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1
Engine
18 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Dusenberry Mark J
Registered owner
Dusenberry Mark J
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Condition · May 13, 2009
Departed
FFO · Dayton, OH
Destination
FFO · Dayton, OH
Airport
FFO · Huffman Prairie Flying Field

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
49
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Seat
Center
Flight hours
1 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
150° at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
46 °F, dew point 43 °F
Altimeter
30.11 inHg
Observed at
FFO

Docket · 8

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 17, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N3635N · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.