Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Findlay, Ohio 45840
Sunday, July 27, 2014 1:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On July 27, 2014, about 0110 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Federsen Lancair IVP airplane, N40941, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with terrain near Findlay, Ohio. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from the West Michigan Regional Airport (BIV), Holland, Michigan, about 0036. The intended destination was the Bluffton Airport (5G7), Bluffton, Ohio.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control (ATC) was providing radar vectors for the Area Navigation (RNAV) GPS Runway 23 approach into 5G7. The controller cleared the pilot for the approach at 0109, and the pilot acknowledged. The flight was about 15 miles northeast of 5G7 at the time. No further communications were received from the pilot. There was no distress call or indication of any in-flight difficulties from the pilot. The final radar data point was recorded at 0110, with an associated mode-C altitude of 3,100 feet mean sea level.
A witness located on Highway 18, south of the accident site, reported observing the airplane on an east-southeasterly course. The airplane appeared to be intact; however, it also appeared to be on fire. He was unsure of exactly where the fire was located on the airplane. The airplane subsequently descended "straight down" and impacted the ground.
A second witness reported observing the airplane was on a northeasterly course over County Road 18. He estimated the airplane's altitude as about 600 feet above ground level. It appeared to be wings level and descending slightly when he initially saw it. There appeared to be a fire near the rear of the airplane. It subsequently descended behind a line of trees before the "sky lit up."
The airplane impacted a residential front yard about 35 feet southeast of County Road 18, between County Road 215 and 216. The airplane was fragmented and a postimpact fire ensued. The main impact crater was about 4 feet wide by 3 feet deep. A linear ground impression consistent with being formed by a wing emanated north-northwest from the main impact crater. The main debris field extended about 55 feet south of the main impact, which included portions of the fuselage, engine, and propeller assembly. Portions of the ailerons, elevators, and rudder were observed within the debris field. The rudder counterweight was embedded into one of the propeller blades. An area of burned vegetation about 110 feet by 220 feet in size was located approximately 150 feet southeast of the main impact crater.
At 0053, weather conditions recorded at the Findlay Airport (FDY), located about 6 miles southwest of the accident site, were: wind from 270 degrees at 10 knots; 5 miles visibility in mist; broken clouds at 1,300 feet above ground level (agl); overcast clouds at 2,000 feet agl; temperature 24 degrees Celsius; dew point 22 degrees Celsius; altimeter 29.83 inches of mercury.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/27/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 110 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Findlay |
| Event State | OHIO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 45840 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 410627N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0833554E |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| 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 | 53 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 210 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FDY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 813 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.83 |
| 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 AGL ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 28 2014 9:37AM |
| User who most recently changed record | sort |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N40941 |
| NTSB Number | CEN14FA389 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground and In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | FEDERSEN WALTER |
| Aircraft Model | LANCAIR IVP |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 207 |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | Ralf Bronnenmeier |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bluffton |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 45817 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Ralf Bronnenmeier |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Bluffton |
| Operator State | OH |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 45817 |
| 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 | BIV |
| Departure City | Holland |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 36 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 5G7 |
| Destination City | Bluffton |
| Destination State | OH |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 28 2014 9:40AM |
| User who most recently changed record | sort |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |