MX and Wings Mods Being Investigated

You can rarely overdo the process of checking up on an airframe after maintenance... and while there are some pretty ponderous questions over what occurred in this fatal accident, the fact that it took place while checking up after recent maintenance does create some suspicions. We look  forward to the final report on this accident.

NTSB Identification: ERA12FA052
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, October 29, 2011 in Homestead, FL
Aircraft: INTERPLANE S R O SKYBOY, registration: N58784
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On October 29, 2011, about 1022 eastern standard time, an experimental light sport aircraft (E-LSA), Czech Republic, Interplane SRO Skyboy, airplane, N58784, registered and operated by an individual, incurred substantial damaged from ground impact at Richards Field Airport (04FA), Miami, Florida. Both pilots on board were killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from the same airport earlier that day, about 0940.

Witnesses stated that the pilot had performed mechanical work on the airplane during the weeks prior to the accident flight. Earlier that morning he conducted a maintenance test flight, which included several touch and goes and stalls. The airplane had vortex generators installed on the wings as part of the maintenance work. There was a second pilot that was assisting the test flight pilot with the maintenance efforts on the airplane. During the initial test flight she remained on the ground with a radio monitoring the test flight progress. There were no abnormalities identified during this test flight. The pilot landed. The assisting pilot and the test flight pilot both got into the airplane to go fly. The airplane was in the air for about thirty to forty minutes conducting touch and goes, stalls, and air work in the vicinity of the private airstrip. Witnesses observed the airplane flying at slow speed in a north east direction, at an estimated altitude of 300 feet above ground level. As the airplane approach the airport it was observed entering a spin in a near full nose down attitude. The airplane completed three spins before it impacted the ground Witnesses made comments that the engine was running during the flight including the spin.

A global position system (GPS) unit, which was recovered among the wreckage, and a flight control component were retained by NTSB for further examination.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov