# NTSB CEN10LA334: Drone Paul E Pulsar III, N47PD, Carmi, IL, June 21, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 20, 2010, 20:07 local (Jun 21, 2010, 01:07 UTC)
- Place: Carmi, IL
- Coordinates: 38.089443, -88.123054 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0894&lon=-88.1231&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report May 11, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Springfield FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 76383
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA334
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76383/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76383
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA334

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed after an aborted landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Drone Paul E PULSAR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=056112K), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Drone Paul E PULSAR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056112K), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270); cases with it: [Drone Paul E PULSAR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md?model=056112K), [All aircraft, 346 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Drone Paul E PULSAR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=056112K), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Drone Paul E PULSAR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=056112K), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Drone Paul E PULSAR III, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056112K), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The accident airplane was the third airplane in a formation flight of four airplanes that was in the process of landing when the accident occurred. The pilot of the fourth airplane in the flight reported that the airplanes flew for about 40 minutes practicing formation flying before they returned for landing. They did a formation left break using 5-second intervals in order to land in trail. The first two airplanes landed uneventfully and the accident airplane appeared to be flying fast down the runway prior to touching down. The second airplane had not taxied off the runway yet and the accident airplane was quickly approaching. The accident airplane aborted the landing and made a go-around maneuver. It then lifted off the runway abruptly with an unusually nose-high attitude. The pilot of the fourth airplane stated that the accident airplane appeared to stall and roll to the left. The airplane impacted the ground about 300 feet east of the runway. Witnesses on the ground reported that they heard a squeal, like brakes being applied, followed by an increase in engine noise as though the pilot had advanced the throttle. One witness observed the airplane lift from the ground and enter into a left arcing turn before impacting with the terrain.

## Factual narrative

On June 20, 2010, at 2007 central daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Drone Pulsar III, N47PD, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a bean field during an aborted landing from runway 18 (4,001 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) at the Carmi Municipal Airport (CUL), Carmi, Illinois. The commercial pilot received fatal injuries. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight departed from CUL as part of a four airplane formation flight. The flight of four airplanes was in the process of landing at CUL when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. The pilot of the fourth airplane in the flight reported that the airplanes were in a practice formation flight. After they departed from CUL, they joined in an echelon formation. He reported that they flew for about 40 minutes before they returned to CUL for landing. They flew over the runway at CUL and did a formation left break using 5-second intervals in order to land in trail on runway 18. The first two airplanes, which were Cessna 172’s, landed uneventfully. The third airplane in the formation was the Pulsar III. The pilot of the fourth airplane, a Piper PA-28, reported that the accident airplane appeared to be fast and was floating down the runway prior to touching down. The second airplane had not taxied off the runway yet and the accident airplane was closing in on its position. The PA-28 pilot reported that the accident airplane aborted the landing and “made a go-around maneuver.” He reported that the Pulsar III lifted off the runway abruptly with an unusually high nose attitude. The PA-28 pilot stated, “When he pitched up, the Pulsar seemed to stall and torque roll to the left.” The airplane impacted the ground about 300 feet east of runway 18. Witnesses on the ground reported that they heard a squeal, like brakes being applied, followed by an increase in engine noise as though the pilot had advanced the throttle. One witness observed the airplane lift from the ground and enter into a left arcing turn before impact with the terrain. The PA-28 pilot reported that the pilots had flown 3 – 4 formation flights in the past. The pilots briefed the flights before takeoff and debriefed when they returned. He reported that the accident pilot had been flying for about 7 – 8 years and had flown the accident airplane to Florida, Michigan, and “all over.” He reported that the accident airplane did not have any problems that he knew of. The 62-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land and airplane instrument ratings. He held a third class medical certificate. His total flight time was about 980 hours with about 327 hours in make and model. The accident airplane was an amateur-built Drone Pulsar III which received its special airworthiness certificate in June 2002. The engine was a 100-horsepower Rotax 912S. The maintenance logbooks indicated that engine and airframe had 327 hours of total time as of May2009. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane at the accident site. The flight control surfaces were connected to the control cables. The composite propeller blades were all sheared from the propeller hub. An autopsy of the pilot was conducted on June 21, 2010, at the White County Coroner’s Office Morgue Facility in Carmi, Illinois. The autopsy revealed evidence of multiple blunt force injuries. A Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report was prepared by the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute. The results of the tests were negative for all substances tested.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N47PD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N47PD-2013-03-22), registration cancelled 2013-03-22, S/N P97070536, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DRONE PAUL E PULSAR III
- Registry model: [Drone Paul E PULSAR III](https://openairdocs.org/model/drone-paul-e-pulsar-iii) (registry code 056112K) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: P97070536
- Airframe hours: 327
- Engines: Rotax 912S 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Drone Paul E
- Registered owner: Drone Paul E
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, March 29, 2009
- Departed: CUL, Carmi, IL
- Destination: CUL, Carmi, IL
- Airport: CUL, Carmi Municipal Airport, runway 18, 4,001 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 62; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 980 total, 327 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observed at: CUL

## 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 20100620038079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100620038079A), Jun 20, 2010: Drone Paul PULSAR III, Carmi, IL, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On June 20, 2010 at approximately 20:05 local time, the pilot of N47PD, a Pulsar III experimental/amateur built aircraft, had finished conducting a flight…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 1, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76383. 2.3 MB in all.

- NTSB Witness Interview (item 1, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40342250&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Witness%20Interview-Master.PDF
- Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40342251&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- FAA Inspector Interviews (item 3, .PDF, 141 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40342252&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Interviews-Redacted.PDF
- Aircraft Logbook Entries (item 4, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40342253&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aircraft%20Logbook%20Entries-Redacted.PDF
- Toxicological Report (item 5, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40342254&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Redacted.PDF
- CEN10LA334 Photographs (item 6, .PDF, 507 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40342255&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=CEN10LA334%20Photographs-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.

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