# NTSB ERA11FA435: Rans S18, Fayetteville, TN, August 2, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: August 2, 2011, 11:10 local (16:10 UTC) - Place: Fayetteville, TN - Coordinates: 35.104721, -86.543052 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1047&lon=-86.5431&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report April 17, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 81353 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11FA435 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81353/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81353 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11FA435 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent flight experience. ## 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: [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: recent experience](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031035): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [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: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was making his inaugural flight in the recently purchased, recently reassembled unregistered experimental airplane. After the pilot's initial takeoff from his home airstrip, witnesses saw the airplane turn back toward the runway then lost sight of it behind a tree line. They continued to hear the airplane's engine operate until hearing the airplane impact the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preexisting mechanical anomalies, and structural damage indicated that it had impacted the ground in a stall/spin to the right. The pilot had not flown in about 6 years, and when a family member suggested that he get some refresher flight training before his first flight in the airplane, the pilot declined to do so. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 2, 2011, about 1110 central daylight time, an unregistered experimental Rans S18 light sport airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near a private turf airstrip in Fayetteville, Tennessee. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Family members stated that the accident flight was the pilot's first flight in the airplane, but that he had taxied it on the grass airstrip several times in order to familiarize himself with the flight controls. Two witnesses, located approximately 1/4 mile north of the north-south airstrip, stated that they heard an airplane that "sounded like a crop duster." They then observed the airplane airborne behind trees at the departure [northern] end of the runway, and stated that it appeared to bank sharply to the left, back towards the runway. They lost sight of the airplane, and afterwords, heard the sound of an impact. They also stated that the airplane's engine was running "loudly" until the sound of impact. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 70, held a private pilot certificate. According to the pilot's logbook, his last recorded flight was on August 14, 2005. A family member stated that the pilot's wife had urged him to get some flight instruction prior to flying the airplane by himself, since it had been some time since he had flown; however, the pilot declined to do so. The pilot's latest medical certificate was issued on June 6, 2005, and at the time, he indicated 640 hours of flight time. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The two-seat airplane was powered by a Rotax 503 engine. According supporting documentation, the airplane was purchased during an on-line auction on July 12, 2011, and a bill of sale was signed for it on July 14, 2011. After transport, the airplane was reassembled on the pilot's property. No maintenance logbooks were located; however, the advertisement for sale stated that it had approximately 200 hours of total airframe and engine time, that it had always been hangared, and that it had previously flown under an "ultralight instructor exemption." METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The nearest recorded weather was at an airport about 12 nautical miles south of the accident site, about 5 minutes after the accident, and included clear skies and calm wind. AIRSTRIP INFORMATION The turf airstrip was mowed into a larger field, and partly indiscernible from its surroundings, oriented about 010/190 degrees magnetic, approximately 1,400 feet long and 50 feet wide. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The airplane came to rest inverted approximately 300 feet east of the airstrip near its southern end, in the vicinity of 35 degrees, 6.29 minutes north latitude, 086 degrees, 32.58 minutes west longitude. Two ground scars were located underneath the wreckage, each measuring about 1 foot inlength, and oriented toward 080 degrees magnetic. The nose and cockpit area exhibited significant fore-to-aft crush damage, and when the airplane was righted, the nose was observed bent upwards about 80 degrees. The left and right wings, vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizer, flaps, ailerons, and elevators remained attached to the airframe. Continuity was confirmed from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit area. The wooden propeller remained attached to the engine, although one blade was fracture-separated opposite the direction of rotation about one-quarter of its length from the hub. The leading edge of the separated portion of the blade exhibited gouging and chordwise scratching. The propeller rotated freely by hand, and crankshaft continuity as well as thumb compression on both cylinders were confirmed. MEDICAL AND TOXICOLOGIOCAL INFORMATION An autopsy was conducted on the pilot at the Tennessee Office of the Medical Examiner, Nashville, Tennessee, where the cause of death was determined to be "multiple blunt force injuries." Subsequent toxicological testing was performed by the FAA Forensic Toxicology Research Team, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with the following results: Amlodipine in blood and urine, diphenhydramine in blood and urine, and rosuvastatin in urine only. According to the National Institute of Health online reference, amlodipine is used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain, diphenhydramine is used to relieve symptoms of common cold, hay fever or allergies, and rosuvastatin is used to reduce cholesterol and other fatty substances in the blood. ## Aircraft - Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: RANS S18 (NO SERIES) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Airframe hours: 200 - Engines: Rotax 503 52 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Larry Eugene Sheaks - Registered owner: Larry Eugene Sheaks - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Departed: NONE, Fayetteville, TN - Destination: NONE, Fayetteville, TN - Airport: Private, runway 01, 1,400 × 50 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; seat: front; toxicology performed; flight hours: 640 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: MDQ, 15 nm away ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 4, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81353. 1.1 MB in all. - Memorandum for Record - Family Member (item 1, .PDF, 156 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384171&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Family%20Member-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Witnesses (item 2, .PDF, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40382293&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Witnesses-Master.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 3, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384144&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 4, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384145&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 - Side Overview (item 5, .PDF, 117 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384137&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Side%20Overview-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Frontal View (item 6, .PDF, 102 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384138&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Frontal%20View-Master.PDF - Photo 3 - Side View (item 7, .PDF, 110 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384139&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20-%20Side%20View-Master.PDF - Photo 4 - Aft/Side View (item 8, .PDF, 181 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384140&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20-%20Aft%2FSide%20View-Master.PDF - Photo 5 - Frontal View; Airplane Turned Right-Side-Up (item 9, .PDF, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384141&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205%20-%20Frontal%20View;%20Airplane%20Turned%20Right-Side-Up-Master.PDF - Photo 6 - Side View; Airplane Turned Right-Side-Up (item 10, .PDF, 92 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384142&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206%20-%20Side%20View;%20Airplane%20Turned%20Right-Side-Up-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.