Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ocala International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ocala, Florida 34474
Friday, April 4, 2014 16:20 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On April 4, 2014, about 1620 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Helpling Tango 2, N599WT, was destroyed during collision with terrain and a subsequent post-crash fire after takeoff from Ocala International Airport (OCF), Ocala, Florida. The private pilot/owner/builder was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot was not immediately available for interview, as she was being treated for her injuries. Several witnesses provided statements to the police, and their statements were consistent throughout. Some said that their attention was drawn to the sound of the airplane's engine during its pre-takeoff run-up due to a "popping" sound; but reported that the engine sound was smooth and continuous at "full" power throughout the takeoff.
After takeoff, the airplane climbed about 20 feet above the runway when the left canopy opened "suddenly" and began "flapping up and down." The airplane began "porpoising" before it entered a steep left bank and subsequently impacted the ground in a left-wing-low attitude and a postcrash fire ensued.
The pilot's fiancé did not witness the accident, but responded immediately to the accident site where the pilot was found some distance from the airplane. He reported to both police and an NTSB investigator that the pilot stated the canopy opened unexpectedly.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land. Her most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third class medical certificate was issued on September 27, 2012. The pilot's total flight experience could not be immediately determined.
According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 2013. Its maintenance records were not recovered, and neither its maintenance history nor its total time could be determined.
Examination of photographs taken by the Ocala Police Department revealed that the airplane came to rest upright. The engine compartment, instrument panel, cockpit, cabin area, and both wings were consumed by fire. The empennage appeared largely intact.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/4/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1620 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ocala |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34474 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 291039N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0821343W |
| Event Location Airport | Ocala International Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | OCF |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 90 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | 1620 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OCF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 90 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4100 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| 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 | Apr 14 2014 1:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N599WT |
| NTSB Number | ERA14LA180 |
| 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 | HELPLING HELEN C |
| Aircraft Model | TANGO 2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | T021 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2000 |
| 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 | HELPLING HELEN C |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | OCALA |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 344714130 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | HELPLING HELEN C |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | OCALA |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 344714130 |
| 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 | OCF |
| Departure City | Ocala |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1620 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PVT |
| Destination City | Ocala |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 14 2014 1:17PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 26 |
| Runway Length | 7467 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |