Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mansfield Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mansfield, Massachusetts 02048
Friday, December 30, 2011 12:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot/owner was practicing takeoffs and landings in the recently certificated experimental amateur-built airplane. After completing an adjustment of the left wing to control a rolling tendency, as well as multiple adjustments to the hand-operated brakes, the pilot performed a short flight over the runway and landed about 400 feet beyond the point of takeoff. The airplane touched down about 55 knots airspeed, and the pilot applied the brakes. The airplane veered, did not slow, and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane continued about 900 feet after touchdown before it collided with terrain and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the wings. After the accident, the pilot could not recall if he had reduced the throttle upon landing. Examination of the cockpit revealed that the flight controls, engine controls, and the hand-operated brake control were of a nonstandard configuration, and all had matching red handles. It was also noted that application of the brakes required the pilot to release the control stick. Examination of the braking system revealed binding of the left brake caliper and disk, missing washers from the right brake caliper, distortion of the left and right inner lining plates over the piston of each brake assembly, and compression of the return springs. Other than the known wing and brake anomalies, the pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot did not maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s not closing the throttle upon landing and his improper adjustment of the airplane’s brakes.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/30/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Mansfield |
| Event State | MASSACHUSETTS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 02048 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 415935N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0711128W |
| Event Location Airport | Mansfield Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 1B9 |
| 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 | 122 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1152 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 125 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TAN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 43 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 11 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 9000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3400 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KTAN 301652Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM FEW034 OVC090 |
| 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) | 29603 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA New England 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 30 2012 3:31PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N344MK |
| NTSB Number | ERA12CA129 |
| 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 | KOTH LARRY |
| Aircraft Model | JABIRU CALYPSO |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 627 |
| 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 | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | LAFRATTA PAUL M |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | NORTH ATTLEBORO |
| Aircraft Owner State | MA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 02760-1512 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | LAFRATTA PAUL M |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | NORTH ATTLEBORO |
| Operator State | MA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 02760-1512 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 1B9 |
| Departure City | Mansfield |
| Departure State | MA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 1B9 |
| Destination City | Mansfield |
| Destination State | MA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 30 2012 3:31PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 32 |
| Runway Length | 3500 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |