Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buxton, Maine 04093
Monday, April 20, 1992 7:11 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT CHECKED THE WEATHER PRIOR TO DEPARTURE USING TV; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM FLIGHT SERVICE. HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CLOUDS AND FOG, AND WAS OBSERVED MAKING A STEEP BANK TURN WITH THE ENGINE OPERATING AT HIGH POWER. IN THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP AND DISAPPEARED IN THE FOG, AND A FEW SECONDS LATER A CRASH WAS HEARD. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN PITCH ATTITUDE, STRIKING SOME TREE BRANCHES ON THE WAY. A CHECK WITH THE AIRPLANE DESIGNER DISCLOSED THE AIRPLANE HAS 'VISCOUS' ACCELERATED STALL CHARACTERISTICS. ADDITIONALLY, HE SAID THAT IN AN ACCELERATED STALL, THE AIRPLANE HAS A TENDENCY TO SNAP ROLL INTO A SPIN IN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITE OF THE TURN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL WITH INSUFFICENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 711
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BUXTON
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04093
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 657 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID PWM
Elevation of weather observation facility 74
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 591
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47989
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N519CS
NTSB Number NYC92DNC02
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 CRAIG MOREHEAD
Aircraft Model BUSHBY MUSTANG II
Aircraft Series Identifier BUSHBY MUS
Aircraft Serial Number M-II-1341
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 16 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 126
Airframe Hours 126
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CRAIG H. MOREHEAD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 821 MYRTLE AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City VENICE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34292
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CRAIG H. MOREHEAD
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 821 MYRTLE AVENUE
Operator City VENICE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 34292
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 No
Departure Airport Code B20
Departure City FRYBERG
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LAL
Destination City LAKELAND
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --