Pilot Debrief

RANS INC S-16 SHEKARI near Pierce, NE — 2018-03-21

Final reportCEN18FA126
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Date
2018-03-21
Location
Pierce, NE, USA
Airport
PVT
Aircraft
RANS INC S-16 SHEKARI
Registration
N741WT
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the approach for landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and the airplane's impact with terrain.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot was approaching his private airstrip in his experimental amateur-built airplane when witnesses heard the sound of the engine stop. The airplane then impacted a field about ¼ mile from the approach end of the runway. The runway's usable length was limited due to standing water and mud; thus, the approach for landing would have necessitated a low-speed, low-altitude approach with low engine power to minimize airplane energy. The wreckage path and airplane damage were consistent with a low-speed, nose-low impact. The accident occurred about 1 hour after the pilot fueled the airplane with 16.5 gallons of 100 low-lead (LL) fuel. Postaccident examination of the fuel tank found that it contained useable fuel. No indication of water was found in the fuel. Recorded data from the airplane' s electronic flight instrument system showed that the airplane's speed decreased below stall speed and engine operation continued until the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane was not equipped with a stall warning system, and there were no markings on airspeed instruments indicating the stall speed. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The National Transportation Safety Board was unable to determine, from the available evidence, the number of hours that the pilot flew in the accident airplane make and model, which he had purchased 6 months before the accident. Although the pilot's severe heart disease placed him at increased risk for an acute cardiac event, whether or not symptoms from such an event contributed to this accident could not be determined. Thus, the reason for the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the approach when engine issues were first noted.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • FDR / data
  • Photos
  • 14 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents14

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