Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sandy, Oregon 97055
Sunday, May 29, 2005 17:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he had just purchased the zero-time aircraft. He said that a friend test flew it for approximately 40 minutes. The pilot said that he preflighted the airplane, but did not have a check list. He said that after he strapped himself into the single seat cockpit, he maneuvered the flight controls, but does not believe that he got the stick full forward. The pilot said that while ground testing the aircraft, he could not get the tail wheel to rise. He increased the speed in an attempt to raise the tail wheel, and the aircraft became airborne. He said that when he got to approximately 50 feet, the aircraft stalled to the right into some trees and brush. Both wings broke in half and the bottom of the fuselage broke out from under the pilot. The pilot had approximately 40 hours of flight training in 1989; he was not a certificated pilot. The pilot said that because of his seat belt and shoulder harness, he could not get full forward deflection of the control stick.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight (his inability to get full elevator down deflection with the flight control stick with shoulder harness and seat belt on) and subsequent loss of aircraft control which resulted in a stall/spin into the trees. Contributing factors were the lack of familiarity with the aircraft and the lack of pilot certification.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Sandy
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97055
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 452407N
Event Location Longitude 1221344W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID TTD
Elevation of weather observation facility 39
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18355
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date May 29 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2005 12:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland, OR

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N548AF
NTSB Number SEA05CA108
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Fisher
Aircraft Model Mini Max 1300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number MK482
Certified Max Gross Weight 550
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Marty Miller
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 588
Aircraft Owner City Welches
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97067
Operator is an individual? No
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 03S
Departure City Sandy
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 03S
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 13 2005 4:52PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --