MIA04LA011

NTSB accident investigation · Let NP Kinovice Z37A · Oak Hill, FL · October 24, 2003

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
October 24, 2003, 18:24 local (22:24 UTC)
Place
Oak Hill, FL
Injuries
1 serious, 1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N137MSLet NP Kinovice Z37A
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 28, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Orlando FSDO - 15
FAA report
20031024037449A
Case key
58240

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilots failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering to re-enter the pattern resulting in an inadvertent stall and impact with trees and the ground during the subsequent uncontrolled descent.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightApproach - vfr pattern - base turn
Airspeed(vs) - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall/spin - inadvertentPilot in command
In flight collision with objectDescent - uncontrolled
Object - tree(s)
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The pilot stated he was in slow flight at 250 feet above ground level in the traffic pattern on a heading of northwest flying away from the runway when the right wing abruptly dropped. He first pushed the nose of the airplane forward, added power and opposite aileron, and then he applied rudder. He did not recover due to the low altitude. The FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated the pilot turned left base, for runway 18 when he noticed he was too close to the approach end of the runway. He elected to make a right turn to re-enter the traffic pattern. The airplane was on a heading of approximately 330-degrees when it stalled and spun to the right. During the uncontrolled descent the airplane rotated approximately 240 degrees before striking branches of a tree and then impacted the ground nose first.

Factual narrative

On October 24, 2003, about 1824 eastern daylight time, an experimental (exhibition) Let NP Kinovice Z37A, N137MS, registered to and operated by a private owner as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, impacted with the ground while entering the traffic pattern for the Blue Ridge Flightpark Airport, Oak Hill, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot reported serious injuries, and one passenger reported minor injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from the Blue Ridge Flightpark, a few minutes before the accident.

The pilot stated he was in slow flight at 250 feet above ground level in the traffic pattern on a heading of northwest, flying away from the runway when the right wing abruptly dropped. He first pushed the nose of the airplane forward, added power and opposite aileron, and then he applied rudder. He did not recover do to the low altitude.

The FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated the pilot turned left base, for runway 18 when he noticed he was too close to the approach end of the runway. He elected to make a right turn to re-enter the traffic pattern. The airplane was on a heading of approximately 330-degrees when it stalled and spun to the right. During the uncontrolled descent the airplane rotated approximately 240 degrees before striking branches of a tree and then impacted the ground nose first.

Aircraft

Registration
N137MS
Reported as
Let NP Kinovice Z37A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
14-05
Engine
Avia M462RF, 315 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Kurt Grasso
Registered owner
Mark Schrick
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Departed
2FD6 · Oak Hill, FL
Destination
Oak Hill, FL
Airport
34FD · Blue Ridge Airpark Airport, runway 170, 3,335 × 100 ft, grass/turf

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
51
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3
Last flight review
December 31, 2002
Seat
Front
Flight hours
5,000 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
70° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 66 °F
Altimeter
30.10 inHg
Observed at
KDAB

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.