# NTSB SEA05CA108: Fisher Mini Max 1300, N548AF, Sandy, OR, May 30, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 29, 2005, 17:00 local (May 30, 2005, 00:00 UTC) - Place: Sandy, OR - Coordinates: 45.401943, -122.228889 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.4019&lon=-122.2289&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 61686 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA05CA108 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61686/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA05CA108 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight (his inability to get full elevator down deflection with the flight control stick with shoulder harness and seat belt on) and subsequent loss of aircraft control which resulted in a stall/spin into the trees. Contributing factors were the lack of familiarity with the aircraft and the lack of pilot certification. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - lack of familiarity with aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor) - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of certification, pilot in command (contributing factor) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) ## Analysis The pilot said he had just purchased the zero-time aircraft. He said that a friend test flew it for approximately 40 minutes. The pilot said that he preflighted the airplane, but did not have a check list. He said that after he strapped himself into the single seat cockpit, he maneuvered the flight controls, but does not believe that he got the stick full forward. The pilot said that while ground testing the aircraft, he could not get the tail wheel to rise. He increased the speed in an attempt to raise the tail wheel, and the aircraft became airborne. He said that when he got to approximately 50 feet, the aircraft stalled to the right into some trees and brush. Both wings broke in half and the bottom of the fuselage broke out from under the pilot. The pilot had approximately 40 hours of flight training in 1989; he was not a certificated pilot. The pilot said that because of his seat belt and shoulder harness, he could not get full forward deflection of the control stick. ## Factual narrative On May 29, 2005, at approximately 1700 Pacific daylight time, a Fisher, Mini Max 1300 experimental homebuilt, N548AF, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees immediately after takeoff near Sandy, Oregon. The non-certificated pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, was not injured. The flight was being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot had not filed a flight plan. The pilot said he had just purchased the zero-time aircraft. He said that a friend test flew it for approximately 40 minutes. The pilot said that he preflighted the airplane, but did not have a check list. He said that after he strapped himself into the single seat cockpit, he maneuvered the flight controls, but does not believe that he got the stick full forward. The pilot said that while ground testing the aircraft, he could not get the tail wheel to rise. He increased the speed in an attempt to raise the tail wheel, and the aircraft became airborne. He said that when he got to approximately 50 feet, the aircraft stalled to the right into some trees and brush. Both wings broke in half and the bottom of the fuselage broke out from under the pilot. The pilot had approximately 40 hours of flight training in 1989; he was not a certificated pilot. He did say that approximately 1 to 2 years ago, he had flown in a small airplane with a friend. The pilot said that because of his seat belt and shoulder harness, he could not get full forward deflection of the control stick. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N548AF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N548AF-2013-08-28), registration cancelled 2013-08-28, S/N MK482 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Fisher Mini Max 1300 - Registry model: [Fisher Alan C 1300Z](https://openairdocs.org/model/fisher-alan-c-1300z) (registry code 0561719) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: MK482 - Airframe hours: 1 - Engines: Rotax 337 35 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Marty Miller - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: 03S, Sandy, OR - Destination: 03S ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; seat: center; flight hours: 40 total, 40 in this make and model, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: TTD, 11 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20050529010799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050529010799A), May 29, 2005: 1300Z, Sandy, OR, Destroyed. (-23) Student pilot practicing taxi operations in a homebuilt aircraft lost control of aircraft when a gust of wind hit the aircraft and aircraft flew into the… 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.