# NTSB WPR09LA413: Antares US MA-34R, N2356W, San Jose, CA, August 24, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 23, 2009, 17:37 local (Aug 24, 2009, 00:37 UTC) - Place: San Jose, CA - Coordinates: 37.332778, -121.819725 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3328&lon=-121.8197&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Standing-engine(s) start-up: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report March 16, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74578 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09LA413 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74578/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74578 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA413 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during engine startup, which resulted in a collision with parked aircraft. Contributing to the accident was the engine's inadvertent increase to high power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause) - [Engine controls](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057600): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified (probable cause) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined ## Analysis The sport pilot instructor completed a lesson with a student and was planning to return to his home airport. While starting the engine, the power immediately increased and the airplane lurched forward. Over the course of several seconds, the airplane continued forward and collided with two parked airplanes. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal the reason for the engine's sudden increase of power. ## Factual narrative On August 23, 2009, about 1737 Pacific daylight time, an Antares U.S. MA-34R 912 Ranger weight shift control airplane, N2356W, struck two parked airplanes following startup at the Reid Hillview Airport (RHV), San Jose, California. The owner/pilot operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The sport pilot instructor, the sole occupant of the airplane, was seriously injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the cross-country personal flight. The intended destination was South County Airport of Santa Clara County (E16), San Martin, California. The student pilot reported that he had just completed an hour-long lesson in the airplane with the sport pilot instructor, who was going to return to his home airport. The student was standing about 10 feet behind the airplane when the instructor strapped into the front seat, put his helmet on, and yelled “clear.” The student was not able to see the position of the engine controls. Upon engine start, it immediately went to what the student thought was full or close to full power. The airplane lurched forward and to the right; the right wingtip clipped a sign, and the wing cables snagged on a parked Zlin airplane (N800NA). It hit with enough force to pull the Zlin out of its tiedown, and turn it 90 degrees. The accident airplane then swerved to the left and lifted up onto its rear wheels; its underside then struck the tail of a parked Citabria airplane (N1806G). The student estimated that the total time from engine start to coming to rest was just a few seconds. The instructor was unconscious and hanging upside down. The student and others removed the pilot from the airplane; the pilot regained consciousness within about a minute, but sustained serious injuries. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane. He determined that the dual control foot-operated throttle cables were intact and functioning normally. Both carburetors had become dislodged. The inspector cycled the carburetor control and observed that the right carburetor would hang up in the wide open position, but return to idle with minimal pressure. He noted some resistance in the left carburetor throttle control near the wide open position. He could not determine if these anomalies existed prior to the accident, or if impact damage affected these findings. He was able to establish control continuity. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Standing-engine(s) start-up: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event) - [Standing-engine(s) start-up: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - [Standing-engine(s) start-up: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2356W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2356W), registered now, S/N 028816 PCM (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ANTARES US MA-34R - Registry model: [Antares US MA 34R 912 RANGER](https://openairdocs.org/model/antares-us-ma-34r-912-ranger) (registry code 05902UV) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912UL series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912ul-series) (registry code 55571, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Weight-shift - Serial number: 028816 PCM - Engines: Rotax 912 80 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Peter C Marsh - Registered owner: Peter C Marsh - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Departed: RHV, San Jose, CA - Destination: E16, San Martin, CA - Airport: RHV, Reid Hillview ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: serious; flight instructor, sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; seat: front ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: KRHV ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74578. 232 KB in all. - Witness Statement (item 1, .PDF, 191 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337945&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Findings (item 2, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337988&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Findings-Redacted.PDF 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.