# NTSB CEN19FA122: Rans S7, N25TX, Kingsland, TX, April 21, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: April 21, 2019, 14:43 local (19:43 UTC) - Place: Kingsland, TX - Coordinates: 30.678333, -98.417503 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6783&lon=-98.4175&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Austrian Ministry for Transport, Rotech Flight Safety, Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 99289 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19FA122 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99289/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99289 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19FA122 ## Probable cause The exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a steep climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and spin into terrain. ## 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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Abbott William Arthur JR RANS S-7S COURIER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056195C), [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: [Abbott William Arthur JR RANS S-7S COURIER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=056195C), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Abbott William Arthur JR RANS S-7S COURIER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=056195C), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Abbott William Arthur JR RANS S-7S COURIER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=056195C), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Abbott William Arthur JR RANS S-7S COURIER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=056195C), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Abbott William Arthur JR RANS S-7S COURIER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=056195C), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and passenger had recently completed maintenance work on the engine to address engine sputtering that occurred during steep climbs. A witness who was familiar with the troubleshooting stated that, on the day of the accident, the pilot's plan was to complete steep climbs to determine why the engine sputtered during that maneuver. The wind was from the south at 15 knots and gusting to 25 knots; the airplane departed to the south into the wind. The witness reported observing what he considered a "normal" takeoff, followed by a steep 15 to 20 second climb. At the top of the climb, the nose and left wing suddenly dropped, and the airplane entered a left-turning spiral, completing 3 to 4 slow rotations before impacting the ground. The witness stated that the engine sounded normal the whole time and he did not notice anything wrong. The airplane impacted the ground in a nose- and left-wing-low attitude and came to rest upright. A postimpact fire consumed a majority of the airplane. A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; however, the examination was limited due to the extent of the fire damage. The accident circumstances are consistent with pilot executing a steep climb to troubleshoot an engine issue. During the steep climb in gusting wind conditions, the airplane's critical angle of attack was exceeded which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, and spin into terrain. ## Factual narrative According to the second witness who observed the accident, in March 2019, the pilot and passenger (who was also a mechanic) had completed maintenance work on the carburetors and synchronized them so that the engine ran smooth. The week before the accident, the pilot and passenger had dinner with the witness and told him that they were troubleshooting an issue where the engine would sputter during steep climbs. They told the witness that they cleaned the gascolator, checked the fuel lines, and verified that the propeller was adjusted correctly. The witness stated that, 1 day before the accident, the pilot flew the airplane with another passenger, but they just flew to get lunch and did not attempt any steep climbs. The pilot reported to him that the engine operated with no issues. The witness further stated that, on the day of the accident, the pilot's plan was to perform steep climbs and try to figure out why the engine was sputtering. The witness did not know if the accident flight was the first troubleshooting flight. On April 21, 2019, at 1443 central daylight time, a Rans S-7S airplane, N25TX, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Kingsland, Texas. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A witness reported that the pilot had just completed a few touch-and-go landings at Shirley Williams Airport before the passenger boarded the airplane. He saw the airplane taxi back to the runway, then heard it impact the ground shortly thereafter. Another witness reported observing what he considered a "normal" takeoff, followed by a steep 15 to 20 second climb. At the top of the climb, the nose and left wing suddenly dropped, and the airplane entered a left-turning spiral, completing 3 to 4 slow rotations before impact with the ground. He stated that the engine sounded normal the whole time and he did not notice anything wrong. An autopsy of the pilot was performed by Travis County Medical Examiner, Austin, Texas. The cause of death was blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing of specimens from the pilot, performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory, identified three previously reported medications: amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and rosuvastatin. Also present were two other medications: naproxen and salicylate. These medications would not have posed a hazard to the safety of flight. An autopsy of the pilot-rated passenger was performed by Travis County Medical Examiner, Austin, Texas. The cause of death was blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing of specimens from the pilot-rated-passenger did not identify any drugs or tested-for substances. The airplane departed on runway 16 and impacted the ground near the south end of the runway, as seen in figure 1. Figure 1 – Aerial image of the accident site The accident site consisted of a small initial impact point in the ground about 20 ft south of the main wreckage. The impact point wasdefined by a divot in the ground which contained a broken red lens, the pitot tube, and a piece of left wing tip. Another impact area was about 6 ft south of the main wreckage, which was about 3 ft in diameter and about 4 inches deep. The small crater contained white paint chips, plexiglass, a propeller blade, and the engine oil filter. Another small divot was observed under the outboard leading edge of the right wing. The three impact areas were in a relatively straight line in a north-south orientation. The airplane came to rest upright facing southwest and was mostly consumed by postcrash fire. An examination of the airframe did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The engine remained attached to the engine mounts, which were broken from the airframe. The engine was mostly intact and severely damaged by fire. The propeller hub remained attached to the crankshaft and one blade remained attached to the hub. The second blade was broken from the hub at the blade root and was found next to the initial engine impact crater – it exhibited chordwise scratches on the face. The third blade was also broken from the hub at the blade root and was found about 20 ft west of the main wreckage – it exhibited chordwise scratches and the blade tip was separated. The engine was examined at a secure facility and exhibited significant thermal damage from the postimpact fire. The fuel pump was partially consumed by the fire and a full examination was not possible. According to the engine manufacturers guidance and the fuel pump serial number, the fuel pump had a five-year time limit and should have been replaced in 2010. The engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have preclude normal operation; however, the examination was limited due to the thermal damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N25TX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N25TX-2020-08-02), registration cancelled 2020-08-02, S/N 0304369, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Rans S7 (S) - Registry model: [Abbott William Arthur JR RANS S-7S COURIER](https://openairdocs.org/model/abbott-william-arthur-jr-rans-s-7s-courier) (registry code 056195C) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax SEE BOMBADIER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-see-bombadier) (registry code 55555, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 0304369 - Year built: 2005 - Airframe hours: 188.6 - Engines: Rotax 912S ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special); Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, November 8, 2018, 28.9 hours before - Departed: 44TE, Kingsland, TX - Destination: 44TE, Kingsland, TX - Airport: 44TE, Shirley Williams, runway 16, 2,600 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: fatal; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; toxicology performed; flight hours: 215 total - Pilot-rated passenger; age 65; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: rear; toxicology performed; flight hours: 180 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 15 knots, gusting 25 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Observed at: KDZB, 9 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 20190421003229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190421003229A), Apr 21, 2019: Abbott William Arthur Jr RANS S-7S COURIER, Kingsland, TX, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Aircraft took of from 44TE at Kingsland,Texas at 0921 am. Witness stated the pilot was going to perform an high performance take off. Pilot weighed 240 lbs,… ## Docket (11 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 15, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99289. 19.6 MB in all. - NTSB investigation summary (item 1, PDF, 6 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10107621&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Investigation%20Summary_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Aerial imagery factual report (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10107338&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Aerial%20Imagery%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Kingsland%20CEN19FA122-Rel.pdf - Correspondence - records of conversation (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10107639&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROCs%20-%20Witnesses-Rel.pdf - Witness statements (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 786 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10107630&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness%20statements%20(2)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Reports from technical advisor to the investigation - rotech flight safety (item 5, PDF, 6 pages, 591 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11361141&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Rotech%20Field%20Report%20-%20N25TX-Rel.pdf - Pilot information and logbook excerpts (item 6, PDF, 5 pages, 7.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12156285&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=-%20N25TX%20Sharpe%20-%20Pilot%20Documents_Redacted2_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 7, PDF, 2 pages, 2.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11368657&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=-%20N25TX%20-%20Aircraft%20Documents_Redacted2-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 8, PDF, 6 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10108939&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20Photos-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10108035&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20release%20signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report - pilot (item 10, PDF, 2 pages, 363 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10107435&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tox%20-%20John%20Sharpe_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Toxicological report - passenger (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 296 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10107993&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tox%20-%20Bill%20Glenn%202_Redacted-Rel.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.