Pilot Debrief

SCHAFFER Fisher Horizon 2 near Eden Prairie, MN — 2017-10-04

Final reportCEN18FA003
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Date
2017-10-04
Location
Eden Prairie, MN, USA
Airport
FCM
Aircraft
SCHAFFER Fisher Horizon 2
Registration
N428AP
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

An inflight loss of control and collision with terrain for undetermined reasons after a thorough examination of the airplane's flight controls was unable to confirm control continuity. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the accident make and model airplane and his lack of recent flight experience.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the accident make and model airplane and his lack of recent flight experience.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot built the airplane over a 24-year period; the accident occurred on the airplane's first flight after the pilot completed building it. The pilot aborted the first takeoff attempt for unknown reasons. During the second takeoff, the airplane was struggling to gain altitude, pitching up and down, and banking. Several witnesses reported hearing "good" engine sounds. Just before the impact, the airplane was in a steep nose-down, left descending spiral before it descended below the trees, followed by a plume of black smoke. The airplane's wooden structure was mostly destroyed by impact forces and postimpact fire. Portions of the flight control systems were found in the wreckage; however, it could not be determined if they were installed and rigged properly due to the amount of damage. Witnesses reported hearing the engine operating, and postaccident engine examination did not reveal evidence of any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Therefore, it is unlikely that the airplane experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot did not have any flight experience in the accident make and model airplane. Further, he had only flown for 4.8 hours in the 12 months before the accident flight. Although it is likely that the pilot's lack of recent flight experience and time in the airplane's make and model played a role in the accident, investigators were unable to determine the cause of the accident due to thermal damage to the airplanes flight controls.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen an experienced pilot for the first flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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