# NTSB ERA09LA451: Engle David TWO Place, N9259F, Manlius, NY, August 8, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 8, 2009, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Manlius, NY - Coordinates: 43.106666, -76.103614 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1067&lon=-76.1036&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: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report December 15, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74477 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09LA451 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74477/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74477 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA451 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during climbout, resulting in an aerodynamic stall. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Engle David TWO PLACE TUKANTRIKE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=059020U), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Engle David TWO PLACE TUKANTRIKE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=059020U), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: [Engle David TWO PLACE TUKANTRIKE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=059020U), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Engle David TWO PLACE TUKANTRIKE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=059020U), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the weight-shift-controlled aircraft taxied to the northwest corner of a private strip and executed a takeoff in a southerly direction. At the end of the strip the aircraft pitched up, stalled, and descended into trees. Examination of the airframe, engine, and flight controls by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions. ## Factual narrative On August 8, 2009, at about 1030 eastern daylight time, an experimental light sport, Two Place Tukan Trike, weight-shift-control, N9259F, collided with power lines during climbout near Manlius, New York. The sport pilot and passenger received serious injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged by impact forces. The flight was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. A witness reported that the pilot and passenger stopped by her home for a short visit. She said that the pilot prepared the aircraft for take off, taxied to the northwest corner of the private strip, and then began the take off roll in a southerly direction. She said that she watched the aircraft pick up speed down the strip, but she felt that it could not clear the trees at the end of the strip due to the elevation. She went on to say that the pilot pulled up and banked the aircraft, and at the same time the aircraft dropped from sight into the trees. The witness then went over to the tree line and saw the crashed aircraft. Examination of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the aircraft collided with power lines and impacted the ground. Examination of the aircraft 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. An examination of the engine and system components by the FAA inspector revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The pilot did not report to the FAA any flight control or mechanical malfunctions. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9259F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9259F), registered now, S/N 181106050162, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ENGLE DAVID TWO PLACE - Registry model: [Engle David TWO PLACE TUKANTRIKE](https://openairdocs.org/model/engle-david-two-place-tukantrike) (registry code 059020U) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 503 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-503-series) (registry code 55564, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Weight-shift - Serial number: 181106050162 - Engines: ROTAX 503 52 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Engle David N - Registered owner: Engle David N - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Departed: Manlius, NY - Destination: Onondaga, NY - Airport: Private Strip ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: serious; sport pilot; seat: front; flight hours: 10 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: SYR, 15 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 20090808048809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090808048809A), Aug 8, 2009: Engle David TWO PLACE T, Manlius, NY, Destroyed. Pilot departed Carter ultralight air park and mis-calculated his take off performance and could not clear the obstacles at the end of the airport. The pilot… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 29, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74477. 141 KB in all. - Witness Statement (item 1, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40317933&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports-FAA Record of Conversation LA451 (item 2, .PDF, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40318969&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports-FAA%20Record%20of%20Conversation%20LA451-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 3, .PDF, 10 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40318970&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-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.