# NTSB MIA98LA160: M2 Sport 1000, Semmes, AL, May 13, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 12, 1998, 19:00 local (May 13, 1998, 00:00 UTC) - Place: Semmes, AL - Coordinates: 30.769329, -88.25904 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.7693&lon=-88.2590&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed, report June 21, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38518 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98LA160 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38518/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA160 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft after an encounter with turbulence during initial climb out. A related factor was the turbulence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, takeoff - initial climb - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment ## Analysis During initial climbout, a witness observed the ultralight experience a wing 'kick up', and subsequently entered a 180 degree steep turn and descended toward the departure strip. The airplane then impacted the terrain about 100 yards short of the runway. According to a witness, there was known low level turbulence off the end of the runway. ## Factual narrative On May 12, 1998, about 1900 central daylight time, an unregistered two-place ultralight, an M2 Sport 1000, owned and operated by a private individual as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed during initial climbout from a private grass strip near Semmes, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. Two unrated occupants sustained fatal injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The craft was being flown without an FAA waiver for two-occupant flight. Reports indicated that localized turbulence existed somewhere off the departure end of the strip, and immediately after the craft flew into that area, at 200 to 300 feet agl, it was observed to abruptly reverse course and descend toward its departure point. The craft impacted a 6 to 8 foot embankment within a dirt pit about 100 yards short of the grass strip. According to a statement by one of the local ultralight operators present at the strip, he flew with the accident-operator just previous to the accident flight and they encountered the same turbulence. At the point they entered the "choppy" air, the accident-operator reduced power and his passenger/dual-operator remembered thinking at the time that reducing power was the wrong corrective action. A third ultralight operator who took off immediately prior to the accident flight also encountered the turbulence, and stated he needed full power and full aileron deflection to counter the forces. When he quickly determined that wasn't enough, he used full rudder deflection. Once out of the turbulence, looking back to his departure point, he observed the accident craft as it entered the turbulence, saw the right wing "kick up" to about the vertical position, saw the craft enter a 180 degree left turn and descent back toward the strip, and then saw the collision with the dirt embankment. Examination of the wreckage by Mobile County Sheriff's Department personnel revealed that the ultralight impacted the embankment in an upright, nose-down attitude with the nose-wheel and dual rudder pedal assembly absorbing much of the energy. No evidence of precrash defects were noted for airframe structural integrity or flight control path integrity; however, proper control deflection could not be determined because of the damage. The Rotax 618 engine had torn loose from the airframe due to impact. The engine was shipped to South Mississippi Light Aircraft, Inc., and with FAA oversight, test-run on July 2, 1998. Except for those components that received impact damage or misalignment and had to be reinstalled, the engine was cranked, as is, and started immediately. It was accelerated through its full operating range with satisfactory results. The magnetos were checked, satisfactorily. See FAA Inspector's report and "Record of phone conversation." Postmortem examination of both occupants was performed by Julia C. Goodwin, M.D., State Medical Examiner, Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, Mobile, Alabama. The cause of death for both occupants was reported as multiple blunt force injuries. No findings that could be considered causal to the accident were reported. Postmortem toxicology studies on specimens obtained from the occupants were performed by Dennis V. Canfield, Ph.D., Manager, FAA Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as well as the Alabama State Medical Examiner, Dr. Julia C. Goodwin. The tests were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, basic, acidic, and neutral drugs for the left seat occupant. For the right seat occupant, the tests were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and ethanol, but positive for marihuana and chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine. ## Aircraft - Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: M2 SPORT 1000 - Category: Ultralight - Serial number: 1006 - Airframe hours: 190 - Engines: Rotax 618 74 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Steve L. Hamel - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, May 9, 1998, 8 hours before ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; medical: unknown; seat: left; toxicology performed ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: MOB, 7 nm away 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.