Winnsboro Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Winnsboro, Louisiana 71295
Thursday, September 6, 2012 12:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airline transport pilot was landing the airplane after a local test flight that involved calibrating the fuel system. According to several witnesses, they heard an increase in engine rpm consistent with the pilot adding power to perform a go-around. Several witnesses reported hearing a subsequent loss of engine power. The nose of the airplane rose and then dropped. The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain beyond the departure end of the runway. The damage to the airplane and the resultant ground scars were consistent with the airplane being in a stalled condition at the time of the accident. An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. An examination of the fuel system revealed that the fuel selector was stiff and difficult to rotate. Further examination revealed that the O-rings on the fuel selector valve’s internal spindle were swollen past the plane of the shaft of the spindle, preventing easy rotation. The pilot was aware of the fuel selector valve anomaly; however, a service bulletin addressing the problem with the fuel selector O-rings had not yet been complied with. The fuel blighting evidence at the accident site and the quantity of fuel found in the right fuel tank suggest that the right wing contained fuel at the time of impact. Based on the circumstances of the accident, it is most likely that the engine lost power due to fuel starvation during the go-around with the fuel selector valve positioned to the left tank, and the pilot became distracted when he tried to switch fuel tanks and lost control of the airplane. Toxicological testing revealed the presence of antidepressant and cardiac medications in the pilot’s system. The blood level of the antidepressant medication was higher than usual therapeutic levels, indicating a high dose and prolonged use. The antidepressant medication in the pilot’s system comes with the warning that it may impair mental and/or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks. In addition, depression is associated with significant cognitive degradation. A review of the pilot’s medical records revealed an extensive history of psychiatric and cardiac issues and subsequent difficulties obtaining a medical certificate for flight. Before the pilot’s most recent medical certification exam, he provided the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical examiner with documentation indicating that he was no longer taking antidepressants. Required standardized neuropsychological testing placed the pilot at average, below average, or mildly impaired when compared with other (somewhat younger) pilots. Based on the levels of antidepressant medication in the pilot’s system, the pilot likely knowingly misreported his medication use to the FAA when he applied for his medical certificate. The pilot’s underlying depression, personality disorder, cognitive issues, and medication use likely contributed to his unwillingness to address the airplane’s fuel selector valve problem. In addition, these conditions would have adversely affected the pilot’s ability to maintain control of the airplane in an emergency.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane after a loss of engine power during a go-around. Contributing to the accident was the difficult-to-operate fuel selector valve and the pilot’s continued operation of the airplane with a known mechanical anomaly. Also contributing to the accident was the pilot’s depression, personality disorder, cognitive issues, and medication use, which adversely affected his ability to maintain control of the airplane during the emergency and likely affected his decision not to address the airplane’s fuel selector valve problem.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Winnsboro
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71295
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 320847N
Event Location Longitude 0914155W
Event Location Airport Winnsboro Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F89
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 76
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID KMLU
Elevation of weather observation facility 79
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
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) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
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) 29.92
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) 31687
NTSB Notification Source FAA ASW 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 6 2013 5:35PM
User who most recently changed record kaij
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1126V
NTSB Number CEN12FA611
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 FAIRLEY GOOCH
Aircraft Model LANCAIR IV
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number L2K289
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 4
Number of Engines 1
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 Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GOOCH FAIRLEY R
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ROSWELL
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30075-1389
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name GOOCH FAIRLEY R
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ROSWELL
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30075-1389
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code F89
Departure City Winnsboro
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code F89
Destination City Winnsboro
Destination State LA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2013 3:50PM
User who most recently changed record kaij
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 --