Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Smyrna Bch, Florida 32070
Tuesady, October 13, 1992 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT CIRCLE THE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 2,500 FEET AND PERFORM A DESCENDING TURN TO OVERFLY THE RUNWAY FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. THE AIRCRAFT LEVELED OFF AT 300 FEET OVER THE RUNWAY AT AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 160 MPH. AS THE AIRCRAFT PASSED THE NORTH END OF THE RUNWAY THE PILOT BEGAN A MODERATE PITCH UP AND THE ENGINE STOPPED COMPLETELY. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE PITCH UP AND MADE A HARD LEFT TURN. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, HOWEVER, THE PILOT REGAINED CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED SEVERAL MORE TIMES PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER HAD SEIZED DUE TO OVERHEATING WHICH WAS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE LEANING. NO MECHANICAL FAILURE WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED EXCESSIVE LEANING WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ABOVE STALL SPEED FOLLOWING ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT STALLING AND DESCENDING UNCONTROLLED TO THE GROUND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S IMPROPER LEANING OF THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED ENGINE OVERHEATING AND ENGINE SEIZURE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/13/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEW SMYRNA BCH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32070
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
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 1451 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID DAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
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) 615
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 13 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48013
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N87RH
NTSB Number MIA93LA006
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 HARKNESS, RICHARD W.
Aircraft Model ADVENTURE
Aircraft Series Identifier ADVENTURE
Aircraft Serial Number 001
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Jun 10 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 74
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DESHLER, MARSHALL L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6822 WINDOVER WAY
Aircraft Owner City TITUSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32780
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DESHLER, MARSHALL L.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 6822 WINDOVER WAY
Operator City TITUSVILLE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32780
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 TIX
Departure City TITUSVILLE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --