NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 22, 2005, about 1630 mountain standard time, an experimental Nord 3202 airplane, N22532, impacted terrain 75 yards north of the medium intensity approach lighting system (MALSR) for runway 05 at the Casa Grande Municipal Airport, Casa Grande, Arizona. The pilot, who held an expired combined third-class medical and student pilot certificate, was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The pilot departed from the Casa Grande airport about 10 minutes prior to the accident, intending to stay in the airport traffic pattern for runway 05. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot's father submitted a written statement regarding the accident. He said that he had spent the day coaching his son on landing the airplane. They chose Casa Grande airport because the traffic is light and the runway is long and smooth. The wind was light and variable and favoring runway 25; however, they chose runway 05 because other airplanes were practicing instrument landing system (ILS) approaches. He did 10 to15 touch-and-go takeoffs and landings, and then departed the pattern while the ILS traffic was inbound. He also stated that the English spoken by the inbound pilots on the ILS approach was unreadable and he and his son could not understand the other airplanes' position reports. At 1630, no inbound traffic was heard on the radio and the pilot had demonstrated 10 perfect landings with his father onboard. The pilot then went around the pattern solo and performed 5 landings. As the airplane was coming around the pattern again, on base turn to final, a multiengine airplane passed in front of him. The pilot in the accident airplane turned hard to the right to avoid the multiengine airplane and banked 60 degrees heading away from the airport. The engine came to full power without faltering. The airplane was 50 feet above ground level and was turned 100 to 120 degrees to avoid the multiengine airplane. The pilot's father then saw the cloud of dust from the impact. After the accident airplane's avoidance maneuver, the multiengine airplane pulled up, turned to the right, and climbed out, departing the airport.

Following the accident, after the pilot's father ascertained that the pilot had sustained fatal injuries, he drove the pilot to their residence so the family could grieve together. Local authorities that responded to the residence interviewed the pilot's brother, who had also witnessed the accident. The pilot's brother said that while the pilot was trying to land, he attempted to avoid another airplane. During this avoidance maneuver, the airplane stalled and descended uncontrolled to the ground.

An airport tenant reported that the accident airplane arrived at the airport sometime after 1200; he noted an older gentleman with two younger males in their twenties. The airplane spent the majority of the time in the airport traffic pattern. The tenant left the airport for a couple of hours and returned about 1500 to 1530. While he was in the airport terminal building he spoke with the older gentleman. The older gentleman asked the airport tenant about fuel prices and fueling procedures. The airport tenant told him that the self-serve pump was open 24 hours. They talked a little longer and then the older gentleman and one of the younger males walked out to the airplane. They taxied out to runway 05, at which time the airport tenant went home. He noted that the airplane was not based at Casa Grande airport.

WITNESS INFORMATION

About 1630, a local resident was riding his all terrain vehicle behind the airport. He saw a Red Dodge pickup parked in a field and saw a younger male walking out of the desert in noticeable distress. He asked if he could offer assistance and was declined. He again offered assistance when he noticed the crashed airplane. The younger male told him that his brother, the pilot, had been fatally injured in the accident. The local resident then departed and notified the authorities.

RADAR INFORMATION

A National Transportation Safety Board air traffic control specialist reviewed the Casa Grande radar data, which was obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). No flight profile was identified that coincided with the accident airplane and reported accident time. It should be noted that radar coverage in the area is spotty and intermittent.

PILOT INFORMATION

Records obtained from the FAA showed that the pilot's combined third-class medical and student pilot certificate was issued on March 5, 2001. According to the FAA's Medical Records Division, no additional applications for a medical certificate or student pilot certificate were on file for the pilot. The pilot's family reported that he returned from a 2-year missionary trip 2 weeks prior to the accident and was reacquainting himself with flying when the accident occurred.

The pilot held approximately 250 hours of total flight time, with about 10 hours of solo flight time. The solo flight hours were all in the accident airplane.

The pilot's father, who assisted with the familiarization flight, holds a commercial pilot certificate for single and multiengine land airplanes. The last medical certificate on file with the FAA Airman Records Branch at the time of the accident was a third-class medical issued on October 5, 2000.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The Nord 3202 was manufactured in France in 1961. The tailwheel equipped, low-wing airplane was built as a primary military trainer. According to FAA records, an experimental operating certificate was issued for the airplane on August 29, 1980, for the purpose of exhibition. The operating limitations for the airplane indicated that it was to be operated within a 300-mile radius of Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. FAA records also showed that the airplane's current owner had not registered the airplane after purchase.

The experimental airplane was maintained under a continued airworthiness maintenance program and the last maintenance performed on the airplane was on August 20, 2005, 15 hours prior to the accident. The total airframe time at this inspection was 3,250 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1635, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) at Casa Grande was reporting the following weather conditions: wind from 260 degrees at 7 knots; surface visibility 10 statute miles; sky conditions clear; temperature 86 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 43 degrees Fahrenheit; altimeter 29.82 inches of Mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The FAA accident coordinator responded to the accident scene. He reported that the airplane impacted near the end of the runway approach lighting system for runway 05. As he was inspecting the site, he noted airplanes landing on runway 05 were approximately 250 above ground level when passing over the accident site. The airplane appeared to have impacted in a left turn, and its heading was 230 degrees.

The FAA accident coordinator noted the following condition of the airplane. The overall airplane structure remained intact and the left wing appeared to be pulled slightly aft at the wing root. The accident coordinator verified continuity to the elevator and the flaps were extended. The instrument panel had a concave crush mark. The tandem-seat airplane's rear seat cushion had flung forward upon impact. Both rudder pedals were crushed and bent. Linkages between the ailerons and the control stick were fractured during the impact sequence. The distance from the initial impact point to the wreckage site was approximately 15 feet. The pilot's shoulder harness appeared to be stowed.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Maricopa County Medical Examiner completed an autopsy on the pilot. The pilot's death was attributed to blunt force craniocerebral trauma. The FAA, Forensic Toxicology of the Civil Aviation Medical Institute (CAMI), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, completed toxicological testing. The results were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and all tested drugs.

SURVIVAL ASPECTS

The airplane was equipped with a lap belt and shoulder harness restraint system. The pilot's father indicated that the pilot was not wearing the shoulder harness because he was not performing aerobatics in the airplane.

Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 91.107 states that each person on board a U.S. registered civil aircraft (except a free balloon that incorporates a basket or gondola or an airship type certificated before November 2, 1987) must occupy an approved seat or berth with a safety belt and, if installed, shoulder harness, properly secured about him or her during movement on the surface, takeoff, and landing.

The FAA published Seat Belts and Shoulder Harnesses, Smart Protection for Small Airplanes (AM-400-90/2). In the publication it states that seat belts alone will only protect the occupant in very minor impacts and that using shoulder harnesses in small aircraft would reduce injuries by 88 percent and fatalities by 20 percent.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAR 91.113 (b) states that when weather conditions permit, regardless of whether an operation is conducted under instrument flight rules or visual flight rules, vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft. Aircraft, while on final approach to land or while landing, have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface, except that they shall not take advantage of this rule to force an aircraft off the runway surface which has already landed and is attempting to make way for an aircraft on final approach. When two or more aircraft are approaching an airport for the purpose of landing, the aircraft at the lower altitude has the right-of-way, but it shall not take advantage of this rule to cut in front of another which is on final approach to land or to overtake that aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a low-altitude evasive maneuver away from another airplane, which resulted in a stall and uncontrolled descent.