Ruckel Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Niceville, Florida 32578
Thursday, March 15, 2012 12:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot/owner had been in a previous airplane accident which resulted in traumatic brain injuries. Subsequent to that accident, he acquired an experimental amateur-built airplane, which he would only taxi because of his lack of medical clearance. Anticipating a return to medical status, the pilot asked another pilot to serve as pilot in command and fly with him to another airport for the airplane’s condition inspection.There were no witnesses to the engine start, taxi time, or takeoff to the north. An air traffic controller at a nearby air force base was contacted by one of the pilots, who reported that the airplane just departed the airport, as was the custom. The controller then attempted to contact the airplane twice to determine the pilots’ intentions but received no response. Radar data indicated a brief, primary (skin paint) return at the time, but no track or altitude could be determined. During the initial climb, a witness saw the airplane when it was about halfway down, and about 300 to 400 feet above the runway, and heard a power reduction. The airplane did not turn to return to the runway, but continued straight ahead over trees, and the witness eventually lost the sound of the engine. A motorist subsequently saw the airplane, gliding south, back toward the departure airport with the propeller stopped, before he lost sight of it behind trees. The airplane later impacted trees, wings level, heading eastbound, just north of a new highway. Because both pilots were ejected from the airplane, it was not possible to determine which pilot had been in which seat or who was flying. The engine had also separated from the main wreckage, which likely altered the positions of the engine controls, including the carburetor heat. Torsional bending of one of the propeller blades, as well as malleable bending (heating) of the exhaust system indicated that the engine was under some power at impact; an examination of the engine did not reveal any malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Dark spark plug electrodes were noted and are consistent with a very rich mixture, either from carburetor icing or carburetor heat, or both. Weather data recorded near the time of the accident indicated an outside air temperature of 82 degrees F and a dew point of 64 degrees. Carburetor icing probability charts indicated the likelihood of serious carburetor icing at glide power for the temperature and dew point conditions. Because one of the pilots made a normal departure call, the effects of carburetor ice were probably first noticed subsequent to that call. At some point, the engine lost power and the pilots attempted to turn back toward the airport. They were then likely able to at least regain at least some power, likely by applying carburetor heat, but were too low to recover.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilots’ inadequate use of carburetor heat, which resulted in carburetor icing and a subsequent loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1255
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Niceville
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32578
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 303214N
Event Location Longitude 0862610W
Event Location Airport Ruckel Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FL17
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 67
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID VPS
Elevation of weather observation facility 87
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
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) 30.24
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) 32362
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 Feb 4 2014 1:24PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N718PP
NTSB Number ERA12LA227
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 Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EMERAUDE
Aircraft Model CP-301-A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 313
Certified Max Gross Weight 1410
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 Jan 21 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 850
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARCO DONALD M JR
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City NICEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32578-4213
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name MARCO DONALD M JR
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City NICEVILLE
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32578-4213
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FL17
Departure City Niceville
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1249
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FD93
Destination City Holt
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 4 2014 1:25PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
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 --