WAUSEON, OH, USA
N2CW
Bellanca BL17-31ATC
The pilot recalled that the airplane was on a normal approach to the runway, then he woke up in the hospital. He stated that he had no recollection of the accident. The passenger reported that she remembered seeing a red light on the instrument panel just before the accident. The airport manager, a CFI, reported that he witnessed the accident from another airplane in the traffic pattern. He stated that the aircraft appeared to be approaching the runway too fast, and it seemed to him that the pilot '...got behind the power curve.' He said the airplane banked several times from left to right and then the nose pitched up. The airplane appeared to stall, then nosed down, and impacted the ground on the left side of the runway. The airport manager landed and helped the two occupants out of the accident airplane. Moments later, an oxygen bottle exploded, and the airplane burst into flames. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomalies.
On May 3, 1996, at about 1945 eastern daylight time, a Bellanca BL17-31ATC, N2CW, crashed while attempting to land at the Fulton County Airport, in Wauseon, Ohio. The pilot of another aircraft pulled the two occupants from the aircraft just before the postimpact fire destroyed the aircraft. The pilot and the one passenger (the pilot's daughter) sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Toledo Suburban Airport, in Lambertville, Michigan at about 1850, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. During a postaccident interview at the hospital, the pilot told a state highway patrol officer that he and his daughter were flying from Lambertville, Michigan to the Fulton County Airport. He said that he had picked up the airplane at Lambertville where it the landing gear had been rebuilt. He stated that he did not recall any mechanical problems prior to the crash, and that all he remembered was being on final approach when he felt a surge which caused the nose of the airplane to go upward. The next thing he remembered was waking up in the hospital. A copy of the Ohio state highway patrol aircraft crash record is appended. On May 6, 1996, the pilot was interviewed via telephone by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector. According to the FAA Inspector, the pilot reported that he could only recall "...coming in for what appeared to be a normal landing, aware of no problems, and awakening in the hospital later that night." The FAA Inspector also interviewed the 14 year old female passenger, the daughter of the pilot. The pilot's daughter stated that all she remembered was seeing a red light on the instrument panel just before the crash. Examination of the aircraft by the FAA Inspector revealed that the airplane was destroyed by post crash fire. According to the FAA Inspector, the flight control cables were separated and some flight control cables "...were melted from the fire. It appeared that flight control continuity existed prior to impact." He said that the engine was removed from the wreckage and examined. The FAA Inspector stated that the engine examination revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. An FAA Inspector statement is appended. The airport manager, a certificated flight instructor, witnessed the accident. He told the FAA Inspector that he was in an airplane on approach to land behind the accident airplane. He said that the accident airplane appeared to be was approaching the runway too fast and indicated that it seemed as if the pilot "...got behind the power curve." He said that as it approached the runway, the aircraft banked several times from left to right, then the nose pitched up. He said the aircraft appeared to stall and fall nose down, impacting the ground approximately 800 feet down the runway, in a grassy area about 150 feet left of the paved runway surface. The airport manager stated that he performed a short field landing behind the accident airplane, and ran to help the pilot and passenger out of the accident airplane. He reported that moments after he pulled the occupants from the airplane, an oxygen bottle exploded and the airplane was engulfed in flames. On May 6, 1996, the Safety Board sent the pilot a cover letter, a copy of the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, and a copy of the rules contained in Part 830 of the Safety Board regulations requiring the pilot to complete the accident report form. On September 18, 1996, a second cover letter and NTSB Form 6120.1/2 were mailed to the pilot, followed by several phone calls. During one telephone conversation, the pilot stated that he had received both forms and would return a completed form as soon as possible. During another telephone conversation, on October 23, 1996, the pilot requested the Safety Board's fax number, and indicated that he would fax the completed form that day. At the time of this writing, the NTSB has not received the completed NTSB Form 6120.1/2 from the pilot, as required by Federal Aviation Regulations 49 CFR Part 830.
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft which resulted in an inadvertent stall while on short final approach to land.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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