Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Boyd, Texas 76023
Sunday, May 30, 2010 8:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
***This report was modified on November 15, 2012. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report with revisions shown.***
The flight instructor and student pilot departed on an instructional flight in preparation for the student’s check ride for a pilot certificate. A witness reported seeing the airplane “low and slow” and said that the engine was “sputtering.” He added that the airplane then entered a “flat spin” before disappearing into trees. The airplane wreckage was located in a stand of trees surrounded by rolling fields. Fuel was present on site. The airplane was equipped with a ballistic parachute, and the parachute’s activation handle was pulled from its stowed position, consistent with an attempted activation by the pilot; however, it had not deployed. Examination revealed that the rocket motor that should have deployed the parachute housing failed because the manufacturer used an inadequate thread sealant glue, which dried up and became inelastic when installed on an airplane and exposed to normal operating conditions (including vibration). The end cap of the rocket would unscrew. As a result, the accident airplane’s parachute did not deploy. Corrective measures were developed and issued as a result of this accident. Examination also showed that, although both occupants’ lap belts remained attached to the airframe their shoulder straps had separated at the adhesive joint where the shoulder strap attachment bracket fastened to the turtle deck. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was started and was run on both the left and right ignition systems.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
***This report was modified on November 15, 2012. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report with revisions shown.***
The pilots’ failure to avoid and recover from the prohibited maneuver of aerodynamic spin during a training flight, for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the failure of the ballistic parachute rocket as a result of the manufacturer’s use of an inadequate thread sealant glue on the end caps of the rocket. Contributing to the severity of the occupants’ injuries was the separation of their shoulder belt attachment brackets at impact.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/30/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 845 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Boyd |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76023 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 753 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 120 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KAFW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.76 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30002 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 29 2013 11:26AM |
| User who most recently changed record | reej |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N801GB |
| NTSB Number | CEN10FA277 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AVEKO SRO |
| Aircraft Model | VL-3 LSA |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | VL-3-012 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| 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 | May 14 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 230 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DENCO REMODELING GROUP INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6831 BAKER BLVD |
| Aircraft Owner City | RICHLAND HILLS |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76118-6364 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | DENCO REMODELING GROUP INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 6831 BAKER BLVD |
| Operator City | RICHLAND HILLS |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 76118-6364 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | T67 |
| Departure City | Hicks Airfield |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 817 |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | T67 |
| Destination City | Hicks Airfield |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 14 2012 4:43PM |
| User who most recently changed record | hatc |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |