MKC86FCJ01

NTSB accident investigation · Carothers Monoplane · Lincoln, NE · November 7, 1985

Accident · Serious injuriesFinal report
Date
November 7, 1985, 16:44 local (22:44 UTC)
Place
Lincoln, NE
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Uncontrolled descent
Aircraft
N44XPCarothers Monoplane
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19851107056109A
Case key
34086

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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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.

In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Aerobatics - performedPilot in command
Stall - not correctedPilot in command
Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause

Analysis

The plt was performing aerobatics while being photographed for a promotional video. On the last pass over the arpt the acft lost airspeed and began a side slip with the left wing down. At a very low alt AGL the acft appeared to stall and assume a higher sink rate, striking the ground with the left wing & nose. The plts head hit the instrument panel during the crash sequence and he lost consciousness. The plt did not regain consciousness and expired on 1/3/86. Two of the plts friends, who were also aerobatic plts, reviewed the video tapes and concluded that the plt may have had a medical impairment and was trying to land without total control. No mechanical discrepancies were found and the plts last medical exam on 10/10/85 revealed no abnomalities. The video cameraman, who had made other videos with the plt, said that the plt appeared unsually nervous before the flt, he also said that the last approach to the field was not a normal one.

Aircraft

Registration
N44XP
Reported as
Carothers Monoplane
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
001
Airframe hours
7
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-CIC, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Charles E. Carothers
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · March 10, 1985 · 168 hours before
Departed
PSR · Lincoln, NE
Airport
OP · Pester Skyranch, runway 14, 1,700 × 75 ft, grass/turf

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
58
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Center

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
59 °F, dew point 25 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg

FAA reports on this event · 1

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