# NTSB CEN15LA432: Rans S18, Shattuck, OK, September 29, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 28, 2015, 19:25 local (Sep 29, 2015, 00:25 UTC) - Place: Shattuck, OK - Coordinates: 36.260555, -99.855552 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2606&lon=-99.8556&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-climb to cruise: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report June 29, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Oklahoma City FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 92077 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN15LA432 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92077/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92077 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA432 ## Probable cause The noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain control of the unregistered airplane during initial climb and his subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in a stall/spin. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Experience/qualifications: qualification/certification](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 280 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The noncertificated pilot was conducting a personal flight in the noncertificated experimental, amateur-built airplane. The pilot had flown to the grass airstrip along with two other pilots, who were flying ultralight trike aircraft. One of the trike pilots reported that each pilot conducted two or three landings at the grass airstrip. The two trike pilots then taxied their aircraft to the northeast end of the airstrip to prepare to depart for the final takeoff. The accident airplane was faster than the trikes and departed while the trike pilots were still taxiing, so they did not see the accident airplane again, and no one witnessed the accident. The trike pilot stated that he believed that the accident airplane might have initially departed to the west, that he and the other trike pilot had departed to the southeast, and that it is possible that the accident pilot was turning his airplane to join them when the accident occurred. The airplane wreckage was subsequently located in a nearby field, and it was oriented to the southeast. The postaccident examination of the wreckage indicated that the airplane impacted terrain in a steep nose-down attitude consistent with a stall/spin. The examination of the airframe, engine, and propeller revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Further, no evidence was found indicating that any medical conditions or substances contributed to the accident. It is likely that the pilot was turning to the southeast after departure and then failed to maintain airplane control and exceeded the airplane's critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in a stall/spin. ## Factual narrative On September 28, 2015, about 1925 central daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Rans S18 airplane, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a field 2 miles east of Shattuck, Oklahoma. The pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The unregistered airplane was owned and operated by the non-certificated pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed about 1923 from a grass airstrip located approximately .5 miles east of the accident site, and was en route to Gage Airport (GAG), Gage, Oklahoma, located 5 miles northeast of the accident site. The pilot of the accident airplane had flown to the grass airstrip along with two ultra-light trike aircraft. One of the trike pilots reported that each aircraft did two or three landings at the grass airstrip. On the final takeoff from the airstrip, the two trike pilots were taxiing their aircraft to the northeast end of the airstrip to prepare to depart. The accident airplane was faster than the trikes and departed while they were still taxiing so they did not see the accident airplane again. The trike pilot stated that he believed that the accident airplane might have departed to the west initially. The two trike aircraft departed to the southeast once airborne. The trike pilot stated that perhaps the accident pilot was making a turn to join the two trike aircraft when the accident occurred. No one witnessed the accident. Another witness reported that he drove by the grass airstrip about 1920 and saw three aircraft on the ground at the airstrip. When he drove by the airstrip about 1925, he saw the wreckage of the accident airplane in the field. The on-site examination of the wreckage revealed that the impact heading was to the southeast. The leading edges of the wings exhibited aft crushing and buckling. The nose of the fuselage exhibited aft and upward crushing. The tail boom was buckled about mid-span. The empennage exhibited minimal damage. The flight controls exhibited continuity from the cockpit controls to the control surfaces. The visual examination of the engine and gearbox revealed no preimpact anomalies. The three-bladed composite propeller remained attached to the engine gearbox. One blade was broken off about 12 inches from the propeller hub. Another blade was shattered about mid-span to the end of the blade. The chambered side of the third blade was delaminated and separated from the rest of the blade. The accident pilot was not certificated. A witness reported that the accident pilot started flying about two years before the accident. He stated that the accident pilot purchased the non-certificated airplane in a trade and flew it about 2-3 times a month – typically in the morning or late evening. He stated that the airplane was a good running airplane and that the engine ran like a "champ". No pilot logbook or aircraft maintenance records were obtained during the investigation. The autopsy ofthe pilot was performed at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on September 29, 2015. The cause of death was "multiple trauma due to a motor vehicle accident – ultra light pilot." A Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report was prepared by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. Atenolol was detected in the urine and blood. No carbon monoxide was detected in the blood. The test for cyanide was not performed. 22 (mg/dL, mg/hg) ethanol was detected in the blood and 20 (mg/dL, mg/hg) ethanol was detected in the urine. Atenolol is a beta blocker used to treat hypertension and abnormally fast heart rhythms. At 1853, the surface weather observation at GAG was: wind 140 degrees at 4 kts; 10 miles visibility; sky clear; temperature 28 degrees C; dew point 12 degrees C; altimeter 29.90 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: RANS S18 - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: None - Engines: Rotax 582 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: David Kelln - Registered owner: David Kelln - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: None, Shattuck, OK - Destination: GAG, Gage, OK - Airport: None, Grass Airstrip - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: fatal; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; toxicology performed ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: GAG, 5 nm away ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 12, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92077. 1.4 MB in all. - NTSB Record of Conversations (item 1, .PDF, 168 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440059&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Record%20of%20Conversations-Master.PDF - FAA Accident Report (item 2, .PDF, 349 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440060&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Accident%20Report-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 3, .PDF, 220 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440061&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Master.PDF - Photo Log (item 4, .PDF, 8 photos, 606 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440062&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Log-Master.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 5, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440063&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%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.