NYC93FA127

The pilot was performing aerobatics as part of an airshow. After completing a barrel roll, the airplane entered a steep climb, followed by a left roll from which there was no recovery. The airplane collided with the terrain in an approx 85 deg nose down attitude. After reviewing videos of the accident, other performers were unable to determine what type of maneuver the pilot was performing. The pilot's autopsy revealed 'severe atherosclerosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery with up to 90 to 95 percent closure.' In addition, 'an old ...myocardial infarction scar' was identified.

History of flight

On Saturday, June 26, 1993, at 1450 eastern daylight time, a Boeing-Stearman PT-17, N58212, registered to and piloted by Ronald G. Shelly, impacted the ground while performing acrobatics during an air show at the Concord Municipal Airport, Concord, New Hampshire. The airplane was destroyed by impact and post crash fire. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.

The pilot was scheduled to perform the acrobatic maneuvers, which were to be followed by wing walking activity by the passenger (the pilot's daughter).

The pilot was executing rolling maneuvers at low altitude. After completing a left barrel roll, the airplane entered a roll from which it did not recover prior to impacting the terrain.

Mr. Wayne T. Smith, Aviation Safety Inspector (Operations) for the Federal Aviation Administration, was the Inspector-In- Charge for this air show, and he witnessed the accident.

In his report, Mr. Smith stated:

I observed the acrobatic performance and accident from the air show command platform located at the show center. After the aircraft completed a left slow roll...it entered a left snap roll....I saw the aircraft lose approximately 50 to 75 feet after completing three quarters of the roll. I could see by the acrobatic smoke that the aircraft was skidding to the right. The aircraft continued its left roll as its wings came level about 25 feet above the ground. The nose then came up sharply while the aircraft continued its roll to the left...I could still hear the aircraft engine and it sounded normal to me. The nose of the aircraft continued smoothly in its arc while the wings continued to roll to the left. The nose came down through the horizon striking the ground at about a 60 degree attitude. The left wing struck the ground almost at the same time. Almost immediately thereafter the aircraft erupted in flames.

Mr. Smith's report also stated:

Earlier that morning, Mr. Ronald G. Shelly, the pilot of N58212, had informed...the air show director, that he did not feel "Up to snuff" and wanted to skip his morning solo acrobatic routine. [The air show director] informed me (after the accident) that Ron Shelly had been complaining about having flu like symptoms four or five days before the accident.

...on the morning of the accident, I spoke with Mr. Shelly and his daughter during a routine ramp check....I spent about fifteen minutes with Ron ...During that time he gave no indications of illness nor did he discuss with me the flu like symptoms he had experienced earlier that week.

Mr. Stanley Segallo, an air show performer, witnessed the accident. In a statement, he said:

I observed the snap roll which followed a slow roll down runway 17. He appeared to be at 85 mph out of the slow roll. He then immediately did a snap roll, still at about 85 mph. That speed is too slow. Normally a snap roll would be done at about 110 mph. When coming out of the snap roll he still had a lot of back stick pressure (That causes too much drag). When he came around through the 180 inverted position the aircraft did not unload to gain airspeed. The aircraft was still stalled while rolling to the left. The aircraft struck the ground in about an 85 degree nose down attitude.

The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at about 43 degrees, 12 minutes North and 071 degrees, 30 minutes West.

Wreckage

The wreckage was examined at the accident site on June 26, 1993, by Mr. Wayne T. Smith, Aviation Safety Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration. In his report, Mr. Smith stated:

The aircraft was on its nose. It was crushed from the nose back to the pilot's seat. I found the fuel tank to be ruptured and leaking avgas on the engine. The left wings were attached to the aircraft. Its spars were broken and the left wing tip showed crush damage. The aircraft had ailerons on the top and bottom wings. Both were connected with an intercon- necting rod. The lower aileron was connected to the pilot's control stick by a connecting rod. The right wings were burned except for the aileron connecting rod. It was connected to the pilot's control stick.

The fuselage was intact except where it had broken open just behind the pilot's seat. It was twisted and bent to the left. The rudder and elevators were connected to the vertical and horizontal stabilizers....The rudder was connected to the pilot's left rudder pedal by its cable. The cable connecting the right rudder pedal was broken at the clevis where it normally would have been connected to the pilot's right rudder pedal....

The engine was destroyed. The propeller was twisted and showed cord wise scratches....Most of the cockpit was destroyed by fire. The flight instruments were destroyed in the crash.

During telephone conversations on June 27, 1993, between the Safety Board and the FAA, it was decided that certain sections of the right rudder control system should be forwarded to the NTSB for examination.

The wreckage was examined again on July 1st and July 13, 1993, by the Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration and the New Hampshire Division of Aeronautics. These examinations focused on the rudder system. Additional parts were removed and sent to the Safety Board's Metallurgical Laboratory.

Personnel information

Mr. Shelly held a Commercial Pilot Certificate, with single and multi-engine, land airplane and instrument ratings. He also held a Second Class Airman Medical Certificate that was issued on February 2, 1993.

He possessed a current FAA Form 8710-7, Statement of Aerobatic Competency, dated February 23, 1993. This form was issued, after an aerobatic evaluation of Mr. Shelly was conducted by an Airshow Certification Evaluator, from the International Council of Air Shows, on February 12, 1993. Mr. Shelly was approved for a Level 1, which involved "No Restrictions" on his performance, including solo acrobatics and his daughter's wing walking.

In his application for these ratings, Mr. Shelly reported that he had performed in eight air shows in 1992. His applications for the previous 2 years also show eight air show performances. In the "Ground Evaluation Notes" written by the most recent evaluator, it stated: "I've observed Ron at several air shows in the past year and have observed the same safe operations I have consistently seen over the past 7 years we've worked together."

Aircraft information

N58212 was a vintage 1940 airplane produced as a trainer for the U.S. military. In 1983, Mr. Shelly had the airplane rebuilt and modified. This included the following:

1. Installation of Pratt & Whitney, R985, 450 horsepower engine.

2. Hamilton Standard constant speed propeller.

3. Inverted flight fuel system.

4. Four aileron system.

5. Complete disassembly of fuselage: new cables, entire recovering of airplane.

6. Wing walking stand and smoke system.

Medical and pathological information

The autopsy on Mr. Shelly was performed by Dr. Roger M. Fossum, Chief Medical Examiner for the State of New Hampshire, on June 27, 1993, at the Concor