George R Carr Memorial Air Fld Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bogalusa, Louisiana 70427
Tuesady, April 12, 2005 17:46 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot lost control of the high performance experimental turbo-prop powered airplane on final approach to the airport. About 1.85 miles from the airport, while at an altitude of 852 feet mean sea level (msl), the pilot began a descending right turn for a straight in approach to runway 36 (a 5,000-foot by 100-foot wide runway). Approximately 1,984 feet from the runway threshold, the airplane impacted terrain in a heavily wooded area, came to rest in an inverted position, and was destroyed by post-impact fire. All major components were accounted for at the scene, but due to fire damage a control continuity check could not be performed. An examination of the engine revealed no mechanical defects or anomalies. The 2,000-hour pilot had accumulated a total time of 3-5 hours in the accident airplane. The airplane was a retractable tricycle geared pressurized low-wing prototype of composite construction and had accrued approximately 60 total flight hours since it was manufactured in 2002. The cockpit contained two seats in a tandem arrangement and was equipped with a dual screen Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS). During the initial flight test program the airplane revealed several hazardous flight characteristics. The airplane's airframe and engine logbooks were not available for review during the course of the investigation so it could not be determined if any modifications were made to the airplane since the initial test flights were concluded in July 2004.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of experience in the make/model airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/12/2005
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1746
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Bogalusa
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70427
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 304807N
Event Location Longitude 0895208W
Event Location Airport GEORGE R CARR MEMORIAL AIR FLD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BXA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 119
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BXA
Elevation of weather observation facility 119
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.77
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18967
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Apr 12 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2006 7:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Baton Rouge, LA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N750TP
NTSB Number DFW05LA102
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Spearman
Aircraft Model Raptor
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number TD2-001
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 60
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Michael Spearman
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4301 W Davis Hwy
Aircraft Owner City Conroe
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77304
Operator is an individual? Yes
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 DAB
Departure City DAYTONA BEACH
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1440
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BXA
Destination City BOGALUSA
Destination State LA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - turn to base
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 11 2005 5:48PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --