# NTSB ERA09LA369: P&M Quikr, N433PM, Cedar Town, GA, June 25, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 25, 2009, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Cedar Town, GA - Coordinates: 34.017776, -85.141113 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0178&lon=-85.1411&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed, report April 22, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74140 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09LA369 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74140/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74140 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA369 ## Probable cause A loss of aircraft control for an undetermined reason. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [P&M QUIKR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=060006X), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [P&M QUIKR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=060006X), [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: [P&M QUIKR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=060006X), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis Witnesses observed the weight-shift aircraft in a spin before it collided with trees, and reported that during the uncontrolled descent, engine noise was smooth and continuous. Examination of the airframe and power plant revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. Weather recorded about the time of the accident, approximately 16 miles northeast of the accident site, indicated conditions were conducive for visual flight rules operation with winds from 210 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot's logbook was not located during the course of the investigation; however, examination of Federal Aviation Administration records indicated the pilot had approximately 300 hours of total flight experience, but the pilot's experience in weight-shift aircraft could not be established. ## Factual narrative On June 25, 2009, at 1630 eastern daylight time, a P&M Aviation LTD QuikR, Special Light Sport Aircraft, N433PM, was substantially damaged during collision with terrain following an uncontrolled descent near Cedartown, Georgia. The certificated sport pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The flight originated from the Polk County Airport, Cedartown Georgia (4A4) at an unspecified time. According to a witness, he observed the airplane in a downward spiral before it collided with trees. Another witness watched the airplane descend at a high rate before it crashed into the woods. He said the engine noise was smooth and continuous with no interruption until ground contact. The pilot, age 44, held a sport pilot certificate. The pilot was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third class medical certificate on January 1, 2008, with no limitations. The pilot reported 300 total hours of flight experience on that date. The pilot's logbook was not available for review. The two-seat, weight-shift, fixed-gear airplane, was manufactured in 2009. It was powered by a Rotax 912ULS, 100hp engine and equipped with a 2-bladed Sensenich propeller. The 2-bladed propeller was not approved for this application by the aircraft manufacturer. The recommended propeller was a 3-bladed propeller. No airplane logbooks were recovered, so the airplanes total time and the date of its most recent inspection could not be determined. At 1648, the weather reported at Cartersville Airport (VPC), about 16 miles northeast of the accident site, included a broken ceiling at 7,000 feet, 10 miles of visibility in rain, and winds from 210 degrees at 6 knots. The temperature was 33 degrees Celsius (C), the dew point was 16 degrees C, and the altimeter setting was 29.98 inches of mercury. The wreckage was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector on June 26, 2009, and all major components were accounted for at the scene. Examination of the airframe and flight control system components revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. All flight tubes were damaged consistent with impact and showed no signs of preimpact failure. Further inspection of the engine and system components revealed valve train continuity with no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. Examination of cockpit placarding revealed that all weight limitations were published in metric units, and not in standard measurement. To avoid confusion in the United States (US), it was recommended that placards on US registered aircraft be replaced with standard measurement placards. Because the placards were in kilograms without a conversion chart, pilots were required to convert critical weights prior to flight. On June 26, 2009, the State of Georgia, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, conductedthe postmortem examination of the pilot. The reported cause of death was multiple generalized blunt force injuries. Forensic toxicology testing was performed on specimens from the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The toxicology report indicated “putrefaction: yes”. The toxicology report stated that 46 (mg/dL, mg/hg) of ethanol was detected in the muscle, and no ethanol was detected in the liver. 7 (mg/dl, mg/hg) N-propanol was detected in the muscle. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N433PM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N433PM-2010-04-13), registration cancelled 2010-04-13, S/N 8433, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: P&M Aviation LTD Quikr - Registry model: [P&M QUIKR](https://openairdocs.org/model/p-m-quikr) (registry code 060006X) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Weight-shift - Serial number: 8433 - Engines: Rotax 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Atlanta Sport Aviation Inc - Registered owner: Atlanta Sport Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, May 18, 2009 - Departed: 4A4, Cedartown, GA - Destination: 4A4, Cedar Town, GA - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: 4A4, Cedartown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: fatal; sport pilot; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: front; toxicology performed; flight hours: 300 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 11 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: ATL, 360 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 20090625047419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090625047419A), Jun 25, 2009: P & M Aviat QUIKR, Cedartown, GA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. The following are from eye witness accounts: the aircraft was flying at approximately 600 to 1000 feet above the ground, the right wing of the aircraft went… ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 15, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74140. 2.4 MB in all. - Toxicological Report (item 1, .PDF, 109 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320571&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.PDF - Reports from Local Agencies-Polk County Police Report (item 2, .PDF, 295 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320579&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Local%20Agencies-Polk%20County%20Police%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement 2-McDaniel, Ben (item 3, .PDF, 77 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320580&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%202-McDaniel,%20Ben-Redacted.PDF - Maps or Charts of Accident Area, Wreckage Diagrams (item 4, .PDF, 21 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320581&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maps%20or%20Charts%20of%20Accident%20Area,%20Wreckage%20Diagrams-Master.PDF - Photo 1-FAA digital-Main wreckage site (item 5, .PDF, 577 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320582&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201-FAA%20digital-Main%20wreckage%20site-Master.PDF - Photo 2-FAA digital-Engine and propeller (item 6, .PDF, 560 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320583&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202-FAA%20digital-Engine%20and%20propeller-Master.PDF - Photo 3-FAA digital-Airspeed indicator (item 7, .PDF, 325 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40320584&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203-FAA%20digital-Airspeed%20indicator-Master.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports-Service Directive-Placards SD129 (item 8, .PDF, 260 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40321119&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports-Service%20Directive-Placards%20SD129-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement 1-Lumpkin Trent (item 9, .PDF, 192 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40322805&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%201-Lumpkin%20Trent-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. --- 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.