Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jackson, Michigan 49203
Thursday, August 6, 1992 18:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF A HOMEBUILT AEROBATIC AIRPLANE PLANNED TO PERFORM AEROBATICS ABOVE HIS HOME. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ENTER A LOOP MANEUVER WITH AN ABRUPT PITCH UP MOTION. AS THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE TOP OF THE LOOP MANEUVER THE WINGS FOLDED OVER THE CANOPY OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED VERTICALLY, COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND SHORTLY THEREAFTER. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE REAR SPAR ATTACH FITTINGS HAD FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE AIRPLANE'S DESIGNER STATED A REAR SPAR MODIFICATION HAD BEEN ISSUED TO BUILDERS AND OWNERS OF THIS TYPE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE HAD THE MODIFICATION MADE TO ITS STRUCTURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN OVERLOAD AND TOTAL FAILURE OF THE REAR WING ATTACH FITTING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1805
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City JACKSON
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49203
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
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 1755 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 140
Weather Observation Facility ID JXN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1001
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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) 2667
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1823
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47467
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N50WP
NTSB Number CHI92DEC03
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 JARRELL
Aircraft Model RV-3
Aircraft Series Identifier RV-3
Aircraft Serial Number 31245
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 23 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 88
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GORZEN, SAMUEL EDWARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2077 WELLWORTH ST
Aircraft Owner City JACKSON
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49203
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GORZEN, SAMUEL EDWARD
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2077 WELLWORTH ST
Operator City JACKSON
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49203
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 JXN
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1801
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code JXN
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 10:35AM
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 --