# NTSB MIA02LA121: Kenneth Parmerter Loehle 5151 Mustang, Lake Placid, FL, July 4, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 4, 2002, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Lake Placid, FL - Coordinates: 27.353055, -81.408058 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.3531&lon=-81.4081&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report October 23, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55123 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA121 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55123/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55123 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA121 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and his inflight loss of control while maneuvering to land following an engine failure. Contributing to the accident was the builder/owner's improper engine installation that resulted in engine overheating and ceasing to operate. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, approach - vfr pattern - downwind - maintenance,installation - improper, owner/builder - cooling system - inadequate - powerplant - overtemperature - powerplant - seized - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency) - airspeed(vs) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot stated that he was conducting a test flight and had just made a low pass over the runway, and was turning to base when he noticed a reduction in engine rpms. He said he "steepened" the turn in an attempt to make it back to the runway, and stalled the airplane. He said the airplane fell like a rock, impacting the ground with the right wing down, at a near 45-degree angle with the horizontal, shattering the wooden right wing and damaging the fuselage. An FAA licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic with an inspection authorization rating, examined the accident airplane and stated that the engine had been improperly installed and had not been properly vented back to the expansion tank. He said he found hot spots on the cylinder head, consistent with there having been trapped air in the cylinder head, which resulted in excessive internal temperatures in the engine causing it to cease operating. ## Factual narrative On July 4, 2002, about 1330, eastern daylight time, an unregistered Kenneth Parmerter Loehle 5151 Mustang amateurbuilt airplane, operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while attempting to land at the Lake Persimmon Airstrip, Lake Placid, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot received minor injuries, and the aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Lake Placid, Florida, the same day, about 1327. The pilot stated that he was conducting a test flight in the traffic pattern at Lake Persimmon Airstrip for the owner/builder, whom he was assisting to build and test the accident airplane, and he had just made a low pass over the runway in order for the owner who was on the ground, to listen to the engine being operated at full power. He said he maneuvered the airplane on the downwind, and was turning to base when he noticed a reduction in engine rpms so he "steepened" the turn in an attempt to make it back to the runway, and stalled the airplane. He said the airplane fell like a rock, and he knew he had stalled it, because the controls had little or no affect. The airplane impacted the ground with the right wing down, at a near 45-degree angle with the horizontal, shattering the wooden right wing and damaging the fuselage. An FAA licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic with an inspection authorization rating, examined the accident airplane and stated that the engine had been improperly installed and had not been properly vented back to the expansion tank. He said he found hot spots on the cylinder head, consistent with there having been trapped air in the cylinder head and excessive internal temperatures in the engine that caused the engine to cease operating. ## Aircraft - Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Kenneth Parmerter Loehle 5151 Mustang - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Engines: Rotax 532 64 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Registered owner: Kenneth Parmerter - Departed: 03FA, Lake Placid, FL - Destination: 03FA - Airport: O3FA, Lake Persimmon Airstrip, runway 09, 2,100 × 180 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 76; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 6, 2001; seat: single; flight hours: 2,000 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: VRB, 60 nm away ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 30, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55123. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 441 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460461&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies: FAA Inspectors Statements (item 2, .PDF, 120 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460462&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies%3A%20FAA%20Inspectors%20Statements-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous: Record of Telephone Conversation with Pilot (item 3, .PDF, 193 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460463&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%3A%20Record%20of%20Telephone%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports: Record of Telephone Conversation/Report from FAA Licensed Mechanic (item 4, .PDF, 163 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460464&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports%3A%20Record%20of%20Telephone%20Conversation%2FReport%20from%20FAA%20Licensed%20Mechanic-Master.PDF - Witness Statement/Record of Telephone Conversation with Owner/witness (item 5, .PDF, 199 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40460465&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%2FRecord%20of%20Telephone%20Conversation%20with%20Owner%2Fwitness-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.