# NTSB CEN21FA426: Rans S20, N6915G, Wadsworth, OH, September 18, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: September 18, 2021, 18:45 local (22:45 UTC) - Place: Wadsworth, OH - Coordinates: 41.004559, -81.755136 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0046&lon=-81.7551&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 103903 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21FA426 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103903/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103903 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21FA426 ## Probable cause The pilot’s decision to depart shortly after a landing helicopter, which resulted in an encounter with the helicopter’s wake turbulence and a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment by his recent use of ethanol. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible; cases with it: [Taylor Robert D RANS S-20 RAVEN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=056394F), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md) - [Impairment/incapacitation: alcohol](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015): Personnel issues › Physical · Pilot; cases with it: [Taylor Robert D RANS S-20 RAVEN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015/cases.md?model=056394F), [All aircraft, 87 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015/cases.md) - [Turbulence: wake turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Awareness of condition; cases with it: [Taylor Robert D RANS S-20 RAVEN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md?model=056394F), [All aircraft, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361) (defining event); cases with it: [Taylor Robert D RANS S-20 RAVEN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md?model=056394F), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Taylor Robert D RANS S-20 RAVEN, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=056394F), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the airplane was holding short of the runway for takeoff when he asked the pilot of an inbound helicopter to side-step to the taxiway so that the airplane could depart. The helicopter pilot reported that a side-step would have resulted in the helicopter flying directly over the airplane and that he side-stepped the helicopter toward the taxiway after clearing the airplane. An airport surveillance camera captured the airplane start the takeoff roll after the helicopter passed. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane entered a steep roll and impacted the runway. A postimpact fire ensued. Toxicology testing of the pilot was positive for ethanol in blood, vitreous fluid, urine, gastric contents, and liver tissue. The ethanol in blood concentration (0.108 gm/dL) was associated with impairment, and alcohol consumption was fairly recent to the accident based on the concentration levels in the pilot’s body. The pilot completed building the airplane about 5 months before the accident. The engine had a history of high oil and cylinder head temperatures, which may have been a factor in the pilot’s decision to depart so soon after the helicopter to reduce idling time on the ground. Based on the available information, it is likely that the airplane encountered wake turbulence from the landing helicopter during takeoff, which resulted in the pilot’s loss of control. It is likely that the pilot’s impairment from ethanol contributed to the accident. ## Factual narrative According to the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25B), Chapter 5, Avoiding Wake Turbulence: A helicopter generates a down wash from its main rotor(s) similar to the vortices of an airplane…In forward flight, this energy is transformed into a pair of strong, high-speed trailing vortices similar to wing-tip vortices of larger fixed-wing aircraft. Helicopter vortices should be avoided because helicopter forward flight airspeeds are often very slow and can generate exceptionally strong wake turbulence. The kit airplane was built by the pilot and the FAA granted a special airworthiness certificate in April 2021. According to maintenance records and a newsletter article written by the pilot, the airplane had a history of high engine oil and cylinder head temperatures. On September 18, 2021, about 1845 eastern daylight time, a Rans S-20 airplane, N6915G, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident at Wadsworth Municipal Airport (3G3), Wadsworth, Ohio. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A review of airport surveillance video revealed that a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter was on approach to Runway 2 as the accident airplane taxied to the runway. According to the helicopter pilot, the accident pilot requested that the helicopter side-step to the west of the runway to facilitate the airplane’s departure. A few seconds after the helicopter flew over the approach end of runway 2, the accident pilot taxied onto the runway and started the takeoff roll. Soon after liftoff, the airplane entered a steep roll, descended, and impacted the runway (see figure 1). A postimpact fire ensued. Figure 1. Screenshot of airport surveillance video. Red arrow points to accident airplane. Toxicology testing performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected ethanol at 0.108 grams per deciliter (gm/dL) in the pilot’s blood. Ethanol was detected in his vitreous fluid at 0.119 gm/dL, urine at 0.075 gm/dL, gastric contents at 0.484 gm/dL, and liver tissue at 0.072 grams per hectogram. Most of the airplane was destroyed by the postcrash fire (see Figure 2). Figure 2 – Airplane at Accident Site Examination of the wreckage did not identify any pre-impact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6915G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6915G), registered now, S/N 05170072, built 2021 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RANS S20 - Registry model: [Taylor Robert D RANS S-20 RAVEN](https://openairdocs.org/model/taylor-robert-d-rans-s-20-raven) (registry code 056394F) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 05170072 - Year built: 2021 - Airframe hours: 22.1 - Engines: Covair reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, April 20, 2021 - Departed: 3G3, Wadworth, OH - Destination: 3G3, Wadsworth, OH - Airport: 3G3, Wadsworth Municipal, runway 2, 3,530 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 517 total, 16 in this make and model, 6 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: KBJJ, 10 nm away - METAR: KBJJ 182256Z AUTO 02006KT 10SM CLR 24/17 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP203 T02440172 ## 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 20210918016539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210918016539A), Sep 18, 2021: Taylor Robert D RANS S-20 RAVEN, Wadsworth, OH, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Security video showed the accident aircraft taxied to runway 02. Landing S-76 helicopter traffic was over the runway and was intending to hover taxi clear when… ## Docket (11 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103903. 14.7 MB in all. - Helicopter pilot statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13052347&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=T.%20Murphy%20Statement%2009-19-2021_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Still shots of security video (item 2, PDF, 7 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13051856&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Video%20stills%20dms-Rel.pdf - Pilot records (item 3, PDF, 7 pages, 333 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13055249&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=pilot%20records%202_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (excerpts) (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 290 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13055461&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=engine_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 7.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13052223&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201-Rel.pdf - Wreckage examination (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13056316&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Examination%20Summary%20--Rel.pdf - Toxicological report (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 463 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13052166&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=tox%20dms_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Autopsy memorandum (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13418665&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Autopsy%20Memo-Rel.pdf - NTSB medical factual report (item 9, PDF, 3 pages, 233 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13400743&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Medical%20Review%20-%20Factual-Rel.pdf - Airport's chart supplement (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 77 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13051376&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Chart%20Supplement%203G3-Rel.pdf - Eaa newsletter - excerpt (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13548271&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=EAA%20newsletter%20-%20excerpt%20-%20redacted-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.