Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Dexter, Kentucky 42071
Friday, December 25, 2009 14:55 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A witness observed the experimental, amateur built airplane perform a steep bank in an aerobatic-type maneuver. After about 30 seconds, he observed a large explosion as the airplane’s left wing separated during its collision with trees. The airplane continued its descent and impacted the ground inverted between a residential driveway and the row of trees. The airplane was consumed by the subsequent fire.
A postaccident examination revealed that the engine’s single magneto P-lead terminal end had made contact with an adjacent fabric covered steel braid oil cooler hose line. Closer examination of the ignition lead disclosed that chaffing had exposed the metal strand layer of the hose. The grounding of the magneto would have rendered the engine unable to produce power due to the lack of an ignition source. The condition of the propeller blades at the wreckage was consistent with the engine not operating at the time of ground impact.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power due to the chaffing and grounding of the single magneto's ignition lead.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/25/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1455 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Dexter |
| Event State | KENTUCKY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 42071 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 364145N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0881216W |
| 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 | 1455 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 92 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KHOP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 573 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 40 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| 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) | 0 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.78 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27966 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 26 2011 10:07AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N499CM |
| NTSB Number | ERA10LA102 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | DAVIS MICHAEL J |
| Aircraft Model | LONGEZ |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 4990 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 27 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 38 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DAVIS MICHAEL J |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 112 RUSTLING OAKS DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | PLEASANT VIEW |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 37146 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Michael . J Davis |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Pleasant view |
| Operator State | TN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 3716 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | M20 |
| Departure City | LeitchField |
| Departure State | KY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1430 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | UCY |
| Destination City | Union City |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 26 2011 10:07AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |