NTSB Factual Report

On March 22, 2003, about 0843 eastern standard time, a Ditommaso-Kaminshi Great Lakes 2T-1A experimental amateur built airplane, N1980A, registered to N1980A Inc., and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed shortly after takeoff from Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airline transport-rated pilot received serious injuries, and the passenger received minor injuries. The airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

The pilot stated that he did a thorough preflight, run up, the takeoff checklist and took off from runway 05 at Spruce Creek Airport. Approximately 300 to 400 feet off the end of the runway the engine started to surge, and after a few surges it ceased operating completely. The pilot said that in order to avoid houses and trees, he attempted a turn to runway 23. He said he performed pre-landing tasks, and during his attempt to land on runway 23, it became apparent that he was not going to make it, so he landed in the only available open area for runway 5, in a wings level attitude. The airplane flipped over on its back and stopped.

The passenger stated that they were flying the airplane on a flight immediately preceding the accident flight, and when they first took off on that flight he knew something was wrong. He stated that he smelled "smoke from the engine, or some kind of burning smell", and that they then landed because something was wrong. He said the pilot then did nothing other than "reved the engine before taking off again." During the takeoff, the passenger said that they got to an altitude of about 100 feet over the treetops and the engine started to stop and start. He said they lost altitude slowly at first, and as the pilot tried to turn around and come back toward the runway, he only made it to a position perpendicular to the end of the runway, before they started loosing altitude drastically. He said they went down at an angle into the water ditch at the and of the runway.

Witnesses stated that the airplane departed on runway 05,and just after takeoff its engine ceased operating momentarily, and then shortly after started to sputter, never regaining full power. They said the airplane was in a nose high attitude, just above tree top level, and then was seen to enter a left turn. Before completing 90 degrees of turn, the witnesses said the airplane was then observed in a right turn back toward the runway. The witnesses said that at a heading of about 45 degrees with respect to runway 23, the right wing dropped, and they observed the airplane descend and impact the ground at a steep angle, coming to rest after flipping over on its back.

An FAA inspector who responded to the accident, conducted examinations of the airframe and engine. The airplane was equipped with the Polish (PMA manufactured) 470 cubic inch displacement 6 cylinder Franklin engine. The engine had been installed in June 2002, and had accumulated 41 hours. According to the inspector, no preaccident anomalies were found, and cold compressions were low on cylinders, but consistent with a Franklin engine. The inspector further stated that when the engine was installed on the airframe, the accessories had been swapped from another engine on to the accident engine.

The Bendix model PS-5C pressure carburetor was examined under NTSB supervision at an FAA certified repair facility. The manual mixture control had incurred damage, and dark deposits were baked on to the throttle body, consistent with that of an engine running rich. There was a large amount of engine oil in the venturi area. The filter was clean and residue/contamination was found under the screen. During teardown, an air passage on the air side of the outer valve was found to have oil present, consistent with anomalies internal to the engine.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper preflight planning/decision to perform a second flight with known deficiencies in equipment, and his failure to maintain airspeed above the airplane's stall speed while maneuvering to reverse direction to land, after the engine subsequently ceased to operate, which resulted in a stall/mush, an inflight lost of control, an uncontrolled descent, and an impact with a ditch.