# NTSB CEN14LA079: Thompson William A Sparrow II, N5955Y, Jeromesville, OH, December 4, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 4, 2013, 12:40 local (17:40 UTC)
- Place: Jeromesville, OH
- Coordinates: 40.804164, -82.195831 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8042&lon=-82.1958&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report December 19, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA -- Cleveland Flight Standards
- NTSB case key (mKey): 88528
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA079
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88528/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88528
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA079

## Probable cause

The student pilot's in-flight loss of control while attempting to return to the runway following a loss of engine power. The cause of the loss of engine power could not be determined because the postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies.

## 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 · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Thompson William A SPARROW II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05606M5), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Thompson William A SPARROW II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=05606M5), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md)
- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Thompson William A SPARROW II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05606M5), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)
- [Experience/qualifications: qualification/certification](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Student/instructed pilot; cases with it: [Thompson William A SPARROW II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md?model=05606M5), [All aircraft, 280 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/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 (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Thompson William A SPARROW II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05606M5), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Thompson William A SPARROW II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05606M5), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Thompson William A SPARROW II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05606M5), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot recalled taxi testing the airplane, which had a newly installed carburetor, before flying the airplane around his farm without incident. He believed that he took off again and that the engine lost power, but he was unsure at what point during the flight that might have occurred. He recalled that he might have been attempting to return to the runway at the time of the accident; however, he did not recall the accident. A postaccident examination of the airplane on scene did not reveal any anomalies attributable to a preimpact failure or malfunction. Although the airplane was operating in weather conditions with a chance of moderate carburetor icing at cruise power, the investigation could not determine whether the loss of power was caused by mechanical or environmental factors. The pilot received his student pilot certificate the year before the accident; however, he could not provide any record of an endorsement for solo flight, as required. Further, although he reported maintaining the airplane himself, there was no record of him holding a mechanic or repairman certificate.

## Factual narrative

On December 4, 2013, about 1240 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Thompson Sparrow II, N5955Y, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Jeromesville, Ohio. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from a private airstrip about 1230.The pilot informed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors that he was in the process of testing a new carburetor that he recently installed. After conducting some taxi testing with the newly installed carburetor, he flew the airplane around his farm without incident. He did not recall the events after that point in time. The pilot believed that he took off again and that the engine lost power, but he was unsure at what point during the flight that might have occurred. He recalled that he might have been attempting to return to the runway at the time of the accident. The airplane came to rest upright. The propeller assembly and engine cowling had separated and were located in the debris path. The propeller blades remained attached to the hub and appeared undeformed. The nose landing gear had collapsed. The nose and center fuselage structure was deformed. Both wings were twisted and exhibited leading edge crush damage. The flight controls remained attached to the wing. The empennage appeared intact with the exception of the lower portion of the rudder, which was deformed. The fuel tanks appeared intact and contained fuel. A postaccident on-scene examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies attributable to a preimpact failure or malfunction. FAA records indicate that the pilot was issued a student pilot certificate on July 25, 2012; however, there was no record of the pilot having been issued an airman medical certificate. He could not provide any record of an endorsement for solo flight as required by the regulations. The pilot informed FAA inspectors that he did not maintain a flight time logbook. However, he reported accumulating about 300 hours total flight time, with about 30 hours in Sparrow II airplanes. The pilot also informed inspectors that he had been involved in previous accidents that had not been reported to the FAA or NTSB. The accident airplane was issued an experimental airworthiness certificate in October 1998. The pilot bought the airplane in April 2012. However, FAA records indicated that the pilot did not submit the required documentation to transfer the registration. The airplane registration was subsequently cancelled on September 3, 2014. The pilot informed FAA inspectors that he did not maintain any maintenance logbooks for the aircraft. Although the pilot reported maintaining the airplane himself, there was no record of the pilot holding a mechanic or repairman certificate.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5955Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5955Y-2014-09-03), registration cancelled 2014-09-03, S/N CA 306, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: THOMPSON WILLIAM A SPARROW II
- Registry model: [Thompson William A SPARROW II](https://openairdocs.org/model/thompson-william-a-sparrow-ii) (registry code 05606M5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: CA 306
- Year built: 1998
- Engines: BOMBARDIER ROTAX 582UL 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: PVT, Jeromesville, OH
- Destination: PVT, Jeromesville, OH
- Airport: PVT, Private

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 65; injuries: serious; student; seat: left; flight hours: 300 total, 30 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observed at: MFD, 14 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 20131204024249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131204024249A), Dec 4, 2013: Thompson William A SPARROW II, Jeromesville, OH, Substantial damage. Accident occurred Wednesday December 4, 2013 in Jeromesville, OH. Aircraft: sparrow ll, registration: N5955Y Injuries: 1 serious On December 4, 2013, about…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 12, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88528. 867 KB in all.

- FAA Interview Summary (item 1, .PDF, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40418902&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Interview%20Summary-Redacted.PDF
- Correspondence - Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40418903&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20-%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF
- Correspondence - FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 204 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40418904&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Redacted.PDF
- FAA Aircraft Registration File (Excerpt) (item 4, .PDF, 479 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40418905&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Aircraft%20Registration%20File%20(Excerpt)-Redacted.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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