# NTSB IAD97LA102: Lardas Renegade Spirit, N416RS, Boonsboro, MD, July 21, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 21, 1997, 19:10 local (23:10 UTC) - Place: Boonsboro, MD - Coordinates: 39.499164, -77.649406 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4992&lon=-77.6494&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report June 9, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28217 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD97LA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28217/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD97LA102 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of his homebuilt airplane during a low level maneuver after a loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the pilot's alcohol impairment. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - reason for occurrence undetermined - low altitude flight/maneuver - performed, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - impairment(alcohol), pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis Witnesses watched as the pilot/owner maneuvered his homebuilt airplane at a low altitude. Some witnesses reported the engine sounds stopped before impact. The airplane's nose dropped down and it descended until ground impact and was destroyed during a post crash fire. Witnesses reported observing the airplane on numerous other occasions performing low level maneuvering. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal an anomalies. The propeller blades were not damaged. Toxicological tests revealed a blood-alcohol level of .049 percent and a vitreous fluid-alcohol level of .055 percent. Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 91.17 stated: (a) No person may act or attempt to act as a crew member of a civil aircraft...(4) while having .04 percent by weight or more alcohol in the blood. ## Factual narrative On July 21, 1997, about 1910 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Renegade Spirit, N416RS, was destroyed as it impacted the ground while maneuvering near Boonsboro, Maryland. The certificated private pilot/owner was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from the pilot's private property, about 1900. A witness gathering hay opposite the pilot's property stated: "He (the pilot) appeared to try a steep climb, at which time I made the comment that he could tail stall if he's not careful. After recovering just in time from that climb, he appeared to attempt the maneuver again. This time he completely stalled, the left wing turned down towards the ground and the nose then turned straight down as he plummeted." Another witness stated that on the day of the accident: "My daughter and I started watching from the dining room windows, in the SW corner of our house when he zoomed SE right over us. He performed the same sequence-tight right hand turn/ steep climb/ cut engine/ dive/ start engine/ climb-over a field just to the NE of his home. He seemed barely to clear the tree tops...A couple of seconds later, he dipped a little and momentarily headed straight for us! We screamed and started to run...but by the time I got halfway around, he had recovered direction, and climbed a little again...As he passed by, I had a good, clear view of the plane about 70 feet south and 20 feet above me...about ten seconds before it crashed. There was certainly no flame or smoke visible...In a very few seconds it turned very tightly to the right 180 degrees, but hardly climbed at all; the engine went quiet, and from here it looked like it just dived straight down into the ground..." This witness also reported that she and her family had observed the airplane on other occasions. She stated: "He usually flew fairly low-at least relative to the ridge we live on. As time went by he seemed to become more daring. He did a lot of tight turns and dives...Once I saw him doing loop-de-loops above a field...About a week before [the accident]...He flew from the direction of his house N/NW...made a tight, climbing turn over the big clearing...cut the engine, dove, then at the last split-second started the engine, revved it, and pulled up steeply just in time to clear our neighbor's...house..." A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector examined the wreckage and the debris field. All major components of the airplane were contained with the wreckage. The wreckage was consumed in a post crash fire. The engine was removed and examined on July 24, 1997, at JRA Executive Air, Hagerstown, Maryland. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Inspector's report on the engine tear down dated July 25, 1997, there were no mechanical anomalies discovered. Examination of the propeller did not reveal any evidence of scoring or twisting. The pilot's flight logbooks and the airplane's maintenance records were requested, but not located during the investigation. An autopsy was performed on the pilot, on July 22, 1997, by Daniel K. Brown, M.D., at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland. The toxicological testing was conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration Toxicology Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The results were positive for ethanol as follows: 55.000 (mg/dl, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in Vitreous fluid 49.000 (mg/dl, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in Blood 53.000 (mg/dl, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in Muscle fluid 55.000 (mg/dl, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in Brain fluid Federal Aviation Regulation 91.17 (Alcohol or drugs) stated: "(a) No person may act or attempt to act as a crew member of a civil aircraft...(4) while having .04 percent by weight or more alcohol in the blood." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N416RS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N416RS-2018-01-19), registration cancelled 2018-01-19, S/N 0136, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Lardas RENEGADE SPIRIT (RENEGADE S) - Registry model: [Lardas Nicholas D RENEGADE SPIRIT](https://openairdocs.org/model/lardas-nicholas-d-renegade-spirit) (registry code 05612XV) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 0136 - Engines: Bombardier ROTAX 582 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard L. Crane - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: rear; toxicology performed; flight hours: 300 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: HGR, 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 19970721045699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970721045699A), Jul 21, 1997: Amtr RENEGADESPIT, Boonsboro, MD, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Witnesses watched as the pilot/owner maneauvered his homebuilt airplane at a low altitude. Some witnesses reported the engine sounds stopped before impact. The… 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.