Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lillian, Alabama 36549
Wednesday, July 23, 2014 10:20 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On July 23, 2014, about 1020 central daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Great Lakes 2T1A, N47149, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it impacted a swamp near Lillian, Alabama. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The local personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Ferguson Airport (82J), Pensacola, Florida, about 1010.
The pilot owned the airplane and based it at 82J. Prior to the accident flight, he had completed a 15-minute personal scenic flight uneventfully with a different passenger. That passenger then deplaned and the pilot boarded another passenger for another 15-minute local flight. When the airplane did not return, search and rescue procedures were initiated. An Alabama State Police helicopter tracked the pilot's mobile phone and located the wreckage about 1600, in swampy terrain approximately 5 miles northwest of 82J.
The airplane was not, nor was it required to be, equipped with a transponder. Review of preliminary radar data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed primary radar targets recorded near 82J about the time of the accident. The targets were consistent with a departure on runway 18, followed by a left downwind leg departure from the airport traffic pattern and a left turn to west. After a westerly track about 4 miles, there was an approximate 1-mile gap in data, followed by five targets recorded on a northerly track near the accident site.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on October 9, 2012. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 700 hours.
The two-seat tandem, bi-wing, tailwheel airplane, serial number 7115-J521, was assembled in 1978 and issued an FAA experimental airworthiness certificate. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320, 150-horsepower engine.
Due to the terrain, the investigative team could not safely access the wreckage. Examination of the wreckage was planned following its recovery from the swamp.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/23/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1020 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Lillian |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 36549 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 302647N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0872614W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 80 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PNS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 121 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 13 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.06 |
| 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) | -- |
| 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 | Jul 31 2014 3:38PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N47149 |
| NTSB Number | ERA14FA350 |
| 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 | WILDERODER |
| Aircraft Model | GREAT LAKES 2TIA |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 7115-J521 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1799 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 1 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| 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 | PRESNELL LAWRENCE D |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | PENSACOLA |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 325065744 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Dean J Legidakes Sr |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | PENSACOLA |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 325065744 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 82J |
| Departure City | Pensacola |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1010 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 82J |
| Destination City | Pensacola |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 31 2014 11:50AM |
| User who most recently changed record | grer |
| 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 | -- |