Pilot Debrief

MCHENRY GEORGE B JR KR2S near Pueblo, CO — 2012-09-16

Final reportCEN12FA638
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Date
2012-09-16
Location
Pueblo, CO, USA
Airport
PUB
Aircraft
MCHENRY GEORGE B JR KR2S
Registration
N966G
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of airplane control while maneuvering to land, which resulted in a stall and uncontrolled descent.

NTSB narrative

Two minutes after takeoff, during climbout, the sport pilot of the amateur-built experimental airplane called the air traffic control tower and requested to return to the airport for suspected carburetor icing. The tower controller acknowledged the call and told the pilot to enter the traffic pattern. The controller then asked the pilot if he needed any assistance, and the pilot replied that he did not. The controller subsequently cleared the flight to land. The controller observed the airplane approaching the airport "fast" and then appearing to go around. The airplane then made a hard right turn about 200 ft above ground level, appeared to stall, and then descended toward the ground in a nose-low, right-wing-down attitude. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the propeller hub assembly revealed damage to the wooden propeller blades consistent with the engine operating at the time of impact. The temperature and dew point about the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of serious carburetor icing at any power setting. Therefore, it is likely that, as suspected by the pilot, the carburetor had accumulated icing, which affected the engine's performance during the climbout. The airplane was equipped with a carburetor heating system; however, due to impact damage, it could not be determined whether the system was turned on or functioning at the time of the accident. An associate of the pilot reported that the airplane's original engine had recently been replaced and that the accident flight may have been the first or second flight with the new engine installation. No evidence was found indicating that the new engine installation contributed to the accident. Although toxicological tests conducted on the pilot were positive for medications that can cause sedation and degraded psychomotor performance, the available information was insufficient to determine if the pilot's performance was degraded by either the medications or by the conditions being treated with the medications.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have opted for a safer landing approach instead of attempting a go-around.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 12 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents12

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