Kissimmee Gateway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kissimmee, Florida 34741
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 17:29 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After the repair of a number of hydraulic leaks, a post-maintenance check flight was conducted from the vintage jet trainer's home airport with a visiting pilot/mechanic and the pilot/owner onboard. After the airplane took off, it departed the airport traffic pattern for in-flight tests. About 11 minutes later, the airplane reentered the airport traffic pattern and completed a left, overhead, mid-field break about 600 feet above ground level (agl). A voice recognized as the pilot/mechanic's then advised the tower that the three landing gear were down and locked, and the airplane arrived at the abeam position about 500 feet agl and 215 knots. The airplane then eased out of the turn and briefly flew a straight course that angled toward the runway before commencing a sharp turn toward the runway with an observed 90-degree angle of bank. The airplane was then seen descending rapidly before pitching up, overshooting the extended runway centerline, nosing down, and impacting the ground. Both pilots were ejected when the airplane impacted the ground, and neither of the destroyed cockpits nor an airport security video could provide definitive evidence as to which pilot was in which seat. However, because the pilot/mechanic’s voice was on all radio transmissions, including a transmission that he was unfamiliar with the airport, it is likely that he was in the front seat and flying the airplane. Wreckage examination revealed that the airplane had impacted the ground in an approximately 45-degree left angle of bank, about 5 degrees nose-low. The landing gear were down and the push button selectors were in the "normal" position, indicating that landing gear were extended normally. The two left-wing flap segments were separated from the extensively damaged wing, and the differing cockpit wing flap indicators were unreliable due to cockpit and airplane damage. However, the two relatively intact right-wing flap segments were up and flush with the wing, consistent with the flaps being up at impact. The emergency airbrake selector was in the "out" position, indicating that the pilot/mechanic had recognized a loss of hydraulic pressure after lowering the landing gear, but before he could effectively deploy airbrakes or flaps. There are no means to lower flaps following a loss of hydraulic pressure. The pilot/mechanic should have extended the downwind leg for a flaps-up approach, per the abnormal procedures. However, he continued the high angle-of-bank, as-configured approach, but did not maintain sufficient airspeed to preclude an "accelerated maneuver stall."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot/mechanic's improper decision to continue a tight-turning landing pattern after a loss of hydraulic pressure, and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed during that pattern, which resulted in an accelerated maneuver stall. Contributing to the accident was a loss of hydraulic pressure after the extension of the landing gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/2/2011
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1729
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Kissimmee
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34741
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 281747N
Event Location Longitude 0812534W
Event Location Airport Kissimmee Gateway Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ISM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 79
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1739 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID ISM
Elevation of weather observation facility 80
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
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) 30.11
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) 29893
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern C-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 25 2012 1:24PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N415FM
NTSB Number ERA11FA133
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 POTEZ-AIR FOUGA
Aircraft Model CM 170 MAGISTER
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 415
Certified Max Gross Weight 12499
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LENTZ WILTON C JR
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City KISSIMMEE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34744-4913
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name LENTZ WILTON C JR
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City KISSIMMEE
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 34744-4913
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code ISM
Departure City Kissimmee
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1721
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code ISM
Destination City Kissimmee
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 16 2012 9:29AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 5001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --