# NTSB ERA14LA351: Siler Ronald E Ultrastar, N4425W, Halifax, PA, July 23, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 22, 2014, 20:55 local (Jul 23, 2014, 00:55 UTC) - Place: Halifax, PA - Coordinates: 40.502777, -76.903892 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5028&lon=-76.9039&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report June 16, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89726 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14LA351 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89726/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89726 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA351 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the engine was not recovered. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack during the forced landing attempt, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain. ## 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: [Siler Ronald E ULTRASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05904O6), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Siler Ronald E ULTRASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05904O6), [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: [Siler Ronald E ULTRASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05904O6), [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 · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Siler Ronald E ULTRASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=05904O6), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Siler Ronald E ULTRASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05904O6), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Siler Ronald E ULTRASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=05904O6), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Siler Ronald E ULTRASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05904O6), [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: [Siler Ronald E ULTRASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05904O6), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot had recently finished performing maintenance on the experimental light sport airplane after not having flown it for 3 years. After a series of successful engine run-ups and high-speed taxi tests, the pilot chose to depart on a brief local flight just after sunset. When the airplane reached an altitude of about 200 ft above the ground, the two-stroke engine slowly began to lose power. The pilot subsequently attempted to perform a forced landing to a cornfield, but the airplane slowed, exceeded its critical angle-of-attack, and subsequently entered an aerodynamic stall and impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane and serious injuries to the pilot. The wreckage was not recovered from the accident site and could not be examined. ## Factual narrative On July 22, 2014, about 2055 eastern daylight time, an experimental light sport Ultrastar, N4425W, was substantially damaged during a forced landing just after takeoff from a private airstrip near Halifax, Pennsylvania. The student pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91.According to the pilot, he had not flown the airplane in about three years, and in the days preceding the accident flight, had been inspecting the airplane. The inspection included removing the carburetor float bowls to check for contamination, performing run-up checks of the engine, and performing several high-speed taxi runs down the length of the runway. Noting no abnormalities, he ultimately elected to depart on the accident flight. During the initial climb after takeoff, while about 200 feet above the ground, the pilot noted that the airplane's engine did not seem to be producing enough power. He elaborated that the engine continued to sound normal, but he felt as if its power output was slowly decreasing over the course of about 10 seconds. Due to the small size of the tachometer, he was unable to determine if the engine rpm had changed. With the airplane descending, the pilot chose a cornfield as a forced landing site, as there was no safe area straight ahead, nor did he feel the airplane had enough altitude to return to the runway. During the approach for landing, the airplane slowed, entered an aerodynamic stall, and impacted the cornfield, resulting in serious injury to the pilot and substantial damage to the airplane. Following the accident, the wreckage was not recovered nor was it examined. The airplane was originally manufactured in 1991, and was equipped with a Cuyuna 430 two-stroke engine. The airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate on December 12, 2009, as an existing aircraft without an airworthiness certificate that did not met the requirements of CFR Part 103.1. At the time the airworthiness certificate was issued, it had accumulated 142 total hours of operation. The single-seat airplane was equipped with a 5-gallon fuel tank, had an empty weight of 349 pounds, and a maximum gross weight of 650 pounds. The pilot held a student pilot certificate, which was issued on October 2012, and an FAA third-class medical certificate, which was issued in January 1999. He also held a repairman certificate with a light sport aircraft inspection rating for the accident airplane. Airman records maintained by the FAA did not contain a total number of flight hours by the pilot, and no flight experience or student pilot certificate endorsement records were made available by the pilot for inspection. The weather conditions reported at Muir Army Airfield, Annville, Pennsylvania, located 16 nautical miles east of the accident site, at 2058, included wind from 200 degrees true at 5 knots,few clouds at 5,000 feet, a temperature of 27 degrees C, a dew point of 22 degrees C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 30.08 inches of mercury. According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, sunset occurred at 2032 and the end of civil twilight occurred at 2103. The moon set at 1708 and did not rise again until 0314 the following day. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4425W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4425W-2018-02-28), registration cancelled 2018-02-28, S/N 12748, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SILER RONALD E ULTRASTAR - Registry model: [Siler Ronald E ULTRASTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/siler-ronald-e-ultrastar) (registry code 05904O6) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 12748 - Year built: 1991 - Engines: Cuyuna 430 30 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Departed: NONE, Halifax, PA - Destination: NONE, Halifax, PA - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: single; flight hours: 999,999 total, 999,999 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 200° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: KMUI, 16 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 20140723015699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140723015699A), Jul 23, 2014: Siler Ronald E ULTRASTAR, Tobias, PA, Destroyed. Pilot stated during climb out the aircraft engine felt like it was not producing enough power, in an attempt to avoid a row of trees pilot started a gradual… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 5, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89726. 174 KB in all. - Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439782&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Telephone%20Interview,%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Witness (item 2, .PDF, 86 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439783&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Telephone%20Interview,%20Witness-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.