Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Findlay Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Findlay, Ohio 45840
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 12:57 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was an experimental amateur-built airplane that was a prototype for light sport aircraft certification. The flight test was conducted by the engine manufacturer, who also provided a pilot to fly the airplane. The pilot had not received flight instruction or a checkout in the airplane. The pilot learned to fly the airplane on his own by taxiing and performing local flights in the airport area. The pilot also had no training or experience in aircraft flight test. A larger radiator had been installed onto the airplane due to noted high engine temperature during previous flights. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot performed two taxi tests during which he performed short hops on the runway to get familiar with the aerodynamic forces that would be encountered during takeoff and landing. The engine temperature was reported as normal during this time. The pilot then attempted a takeoff for a flight that was to remain in the airport traffic pattern. Just after takeoff the airplane lost total engine power. The pilot attempted an engine restart without success, during which he did not hear the engine turn over. The pilot then executed a forced landing into a quarry located about 0.6 miles from the departure end of the runway. An examination of the reduction drive assembly needle roller bearing sidewall revealed a combination of wear and high temperatures leading to overstress. Circumferential wear marks on the separated cage sidewall and the presence of metallic debris suggested impingement of the rollers on the sidewall during engine operation. Heat tinting of the outer raceway in the vicinity of the failed sidewall and the cam that served as the inner raceway was also noted. The needle bearing malfunction could be attributed to misalignment of the needle bearing and insufficient lubrication.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power due to the failure of the reduction drive assembly as a result of excessive wear and high temperatures. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's lack of total experience in the airplane and the unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/3/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1257 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Findlay |
| Event State | OHIO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 45840 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 410139N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0833951W |
| Event Location Airport | Findlay Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FDY |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 813 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FDY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 813 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.97 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25013 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-AGL-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 3 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 18 2009 5:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Columbus FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N333SV |
| NTSB Number | CHI08LA274 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Sadler |
| Aircraft Model | Vampire |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 054 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1500 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 25 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 52 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | William Sadler |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | -- |
| Aircraft Owner State | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Sadler Aircraft |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | OR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Flight Test |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | FDY |
| Departure City | Findley |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1257 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | FDY |
| Destination City | Findley |
| Destination State | OH |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 7 2009 4:12PM |
| User who most recently changed record | galm |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 07 |
| Runway Length | 5883 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |