NYC95LA194

The pilot had landed at the Zelienople Airport after a 1-hour flight from Wadsworth, Ohio. The airplane was not refueled. The pilot then departed in formation with another similar biplane. After takeoff, at 200 feet, the pilot reported that he was losing power, and turned back to the runway. During the turn, the second pilot advised him to keep his nose down. The second pilot then observed the airplane roll up on its left wing, followed by a nose down and impact with the ground. A postcrash fire consumed the airplane. During examination of the wreckage, no preimpact failures of the airframe or engine were observed. The pilot recently purchased the airplane in Mexico. He had ferried the airplane to a repair station in the United States, and then to his home field. The pilot had accumulated 20.4 hours, and 19 takeoffs and landings in the accident airplane.

On August 16, 1995, at 1127 eastern daylight time, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-2, N49CR, was destroyed during a forced landing after takeoff from the Zelienople Municipal Airport, Fombell, Pennsylvania. The airline transport pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, for the personal flight that originated from the Zelienople Municipal Airport (8G7), at 1124. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

On August 16, the pilot flew N49CR from Wadsworth, Ohio, to 8G7, a 1 hour flight. The airplane was not refueled at 8G7, and the pilot met with the pilot/owner of another Great Lakes airplane (N13SA).

The pilot of N13SA said in a written statement, that he and N49CR departed 8G7 in a staggered left formation, and that N49CR was to his right front. During the initial climb, at 200 feet, he radioed to N49CR that, "...he could add more power to climb if he wanted to." The reply from N49CR was that he was losing power. The pilot of N13SA broke off from the formation, and suggested that N49CR make a turn back to the runway.

The pilot of N13SA further stated:

...About halfway through his turn I advised him to 'get your nose down.' Just after this transmission the aircraft rolled up on its left wing and went nose down wings level and impacted the ground. About a half second later a fire erupted and the aircraft was consumed by fire.

The airplane struck the ground about 1,200 feet from the approach end of runway 17, and was consumed by a post crash fire.

According the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector's report, an examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact failure of the airframe, and the fuel selector valve was in the [open] position. He further stated that the elevator trim was at a setting similar to that of N13SA's.

The airplane was purchased in Larado, Mexico, in December 1994. It was ferried by the pilot to Eldorado, Kansas, to have a a cracked spar repaired. According to the pilot's logbook, the flight time for that leg was 7.7 hours, and included 6 takeoff and landings. On August 11, 1995, the pilot ferried the airplane from Eldorado, to Wadsworth, Ohio. The flight time for that leg was 8.2 hours, and included 8 takeoffs and landings. The last entry in the pilot's logbook indicated a flight on August 13, 1995. This was a local flight, with a duration of 3.5 hours, and 4 takeoffs and landings.

The owner/pilot of N49CR had over 12,000 hours of total flight experience, and about 26 hours in this make and model airplane.

The engine was removed from the wreckage for further examination, and shipped to the Textron-Lycoming Facility, Williamsport, Pennsylvania. An examination was conducted on October 17, 1995, in the presence of the FAA and Lycoming personnel. According to the Textron-Lycoming Report, no pre- impact failures of the engine or accessories were observed during the examination.