FEDERSEN WALTER LANCAIR IVP near Findlay, OH — 2014-07-27

Probable cause

An in-flight fire for reasons that could not be determined due to the extent of impact and fire damage.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in the experimental, amateur-built airplane. Radar track data of the accident flight showed the airplane descending from cruise altitude en route to the destination airport. An approach controller provided the pilot radar vectors to the final approach course at the destination airport and then cleared the flight for an RNAV GPS approach. The pilot complied with all of the controller's instructions up to this point, and he did not inform the controller of any anomalies with the flight. Shortly after the pilot was cleared for the approach, radar contact and radio communications were lost. Two witnesses reported observing the airplane shortly before the accident. One witness reported that the airplane appeared to be intact but on fire; he was unsure of the fire's location. A second witness reported that the airplane appeared to be wings level and descending slightly when he initially saw it and that there appeared to be a fire near the rear of the airplane. The airplane subsequently descended and impacted a residential yard. The airplane was severely fragmented during the impact sequence and consumed by fire. A postaccident examination of the airplane wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions. The extent of the damage caused by the impact forces and fire precluded a determination of the source of the in-flight fire.

Analysis

Primary failure mode

Controlled flight into terrain

First missed decision gate

Pilot could have aborted the approach when low altitude alert was received.

NTSB coding

• Fire/smoke (non-impact) · Approach-IFR initial approach

Evidence available

• ATC audio
• ADS-B / radar
• Photos
• 17 docket documents

Docket documents17

• Air Traffic Control Contact Summaryatc
• Transcript of Air Traffic Control Communicationsatc
• Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigationinterview
• Witness Statementinterview
• Accident Site Diagramother
• Approach Procedure -- RNAV (GPS) RWY 23 / Bluffton Airport (5G7)other
• Conversation Summary -- Pilot's Colleague/Friendother
• Maintenance Records -- Airframe Logbook #1other
• Maintenance Records -- Airframe Logbook #2other
• Maintenance Records -- Engine Logbookother
• Summary of Airplane Restorationother
• Surface Weather Observations -- Findlay Airport (KFDY)other
• Weather Data -- Flight Service Briefingother
• Accident Site / Airplane Photosphotos
• Plot of Radar Track Dataradar
• Toxicological Reportreport
• Transcript of Flight Service Briefingtranscript