Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Leesburg, Florida 32748
Monday, September 6, 1993 15:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED BY A WITNESS AS IT TOOK OFF FROM A LAKE AND MADE A LEFT DOWNWIND DEPARTURE. A REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER WAS HEARD, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED MAKING ANOTHER LEFT TURN AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL AS IF TURNING FROM BASE TO FINAL APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE SLOW AND WAS OBSERVED TO SHUDDER FROM LEFT TO RIGHT BEFORE GOING INTO A LEFT ROLL AND A SPIN. THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED (VSO) WHILE MANEUVERING RESULTING IN A STALL/SPIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LEESBURG
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32748
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID ORL
Elevation of weather observation facility 113
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 33
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1477
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 6 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number NONE
NTSB Number MIA93LA191
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HUDSON
Aircraft Model RANS S-12
Aircraft Series Identifier RANS S-12
Aircraft Serial Number 4170949
Certified Max Gross Weight 742
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WETSTEIN, MAX E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1509 SOUTH 9TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City LEESBURG
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34748
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --