Harold Davidson Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vermillion, South Dakota 57069
Friday, September 14, 2012 16:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses reported seeing the weight-shift-control light-sport aircraft shortly after takeoff in a steep climb before it rolled left and entered a near-vertical descent into terrain. Two witnesses reported that the engine was not operating normally before the aircraft departed controlled flight. The aircraft was subsequently destroyed during a postimpact ground fire. An examination of the remaining airframe components and the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Although the propeller was partially consumed by fire, it exhibited impact damage consistent with rotation at the time of impact. However, a functional test of the engine was not possible because both carburetors and the dual electronic ignition system were destroyed during the postimpact fire. The pilot had a history of coronary artery disease, an aortic heart valve replacement, a craniotomy following a skiing accident, and multiple episodes of transient ischemic attack. However, insufficient evidence existed to determine if the pilot had become impaired or incapacitated at the time of the accident. The pilot had never applied for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate. According to FAA regulations, a pilot operating a light-sport aircraft does not need to apply for nor possess an FAA medical certificate. In lieu of a medical certificate, a pilot can operate light-sport aircraft if they possess a valid driver’s license; the pilot had a valid driver’s license when the accident occurred. Per FAA regulations, a pilot must not know of or have reason to know of any medical condition that would make them unable to operate a light-sport aircraft in a safe manner. The pilot’s documented medical conditions would likely have precluded him from holding an FAA medical certificate of any class. Additionally, the pilot had been diagnosed with dizziness by his personal physician who counseled him against driving and flying. The pilot’s spouse reported that her husband had no recent complaints of fatigue, shortness of breath, or chest pain. On the day of the accident, the pilot was reportedly alert with no noticeable fatigue or complaints and was looking forward to his upcoming cross-country flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the weight-shift-control aircraft during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/14/2012
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Vermillion
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57069
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 424626N
Event Location Longitude 0965654W
Event Location Airport Harold Davidson Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VMR
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 310
Airport Elevation 1147
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID VMR
Elevation of weather observation facility 1147
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 33055
NTSB Notification Source FAA - Great Lakes ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 11 2014 11:59PM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N850GB
NTSB Number CEN12LA634
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name NORTH WING DESIGN
Aircraft Model APACHE SPORT
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 51188
Certified Max Gross Weight 950
Aircraft Category --
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 Apr 10 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 211
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Lowell L. Rahn
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Newcastle
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68757-6080
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Lowell L. Rahn
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Newcastle
Operator State NE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 68757-6080
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code VMR
Departure City Vermillion
Departure State SD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Kimball
Destination State SD
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 12 2014 12:00AM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 4105
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --