- Date
- September 12, 2014, 15:44 local (20:44 UTC)
- Place
- Newark, IL
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N800NWEvektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern base: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 11, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20140912017289A
- Case key
- 90093
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 student pilot did not maintain proper airspeed during the simulated emergency landing and failed to relinquish control to the flight instructor when the flight instructor attempted to intervene, which resulted in the loss of control. Contributing was the flight instructor's failure to properly monitor the student pilot, and the poor communication between the flight instructor and student pilot.
Findings · 5
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.
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 flight instructor reported that the student pilot made a normal takeoff from a turf runway. While the student pilot was flying the departure leg, the flight instructor initiated a simulated engine failure. During the student pilot's approach, the flight instructor noticed the airspeed deteriorate. The flight instructor stated that when he attempted to assume control of the airplane, the student pilot did not release the controls. A sink rate developed and the airplane struck a power line prior to the runway. During ground impact, both wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. The student pilot did not recall the accident sequence of events due to his injuries.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that the student pilot made a normal takeoff from a turf runway. While the student pilot was flying the departure leg, the flight instructor initiated a simulated engine failure. During the student pilot's approach, the flight instructor noticed the airspeed deteriorate. The flight instructor stated that when he attempted to assume control of the airplane, the student pilot did not release the controls. A sink rate developed and the airplane struck a power line prior to the runway. During ground impact, both wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. The student pilot did not recall the accident sequence of events due to his injuries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N800NW
- Reported as
- Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20070820
- Built
- 2007
- Engine
- Rotax 912US, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Ryan Boston
- Registered owner
- Ryan Boston
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Departed
- 0C8 · Newark, IL
- Destination
- 0C8 · Newark, IL
- Airport
- 0C8 · Cushing Field Ltd Airport, runway 18, 2,831 × 180 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 33
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 22, 2013
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,720 total · 800 in this make and model · 1,500 as pilot in command · 130 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Student
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 32 total · 32 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KARR, 16 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 4, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.