DALTON, GA, USA
NONE
Trike UNKNOWN
The two-seat airplane was flying in loose formation with two other airplanes. During final approach to landing in a private hay field, the airplane's left wing struck an oak tree. The airplane descended approximately 40 to 50 feet and collided with the ground. According to Title 14 CFR Part 103, an ultralight is a vehicle that is used or intended to be used for manned operation by a single occupant. An exemption allowing a two-seat airplane to be operated under Part 103 may be granted for flight instruction; however, according to a listing of all exemption holders, the pilot did not possess an exception.
On March 7, 2000, about 1800 eastern standard time, a Trike unregistered experimental airplane, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted a tree and collided with the ground during approach to landing in a private field near Dalton, Georgia. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The aircraft departed from the private field about 1745. According to several witnesses, three airplanes departed from the private hay field in loose formation. Shortly thereafter, they returned for landing. According to a pilot who was flying in the formation, he was positioned behind the lead airplane during final approach to landing. His airplane was approximately 150 feet above ground level (agl) with the lead airplane about 50 feet agl, when the lead airplane's left wing struck an oak tree. Several witnesses in the air and on the ground observed the airplane descend approximately 40 to 50 feet and impact the ground. According to a detective with the Murray County Sheriff's Department, the tandem two-seat airplane with a rear-mounted 2-cylinder Rotax engine impacted the ground nose first. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site and remained attached to the airframe. The left side of the cloth wing sustained substantial leading edge and wingtip damage. One of the three wheels was separated and found several feet from the main wreckage. There was no pre or post impact fire. The pilot held private pilot certificate 253687495, issued on August 16, 1980, with an airplane single engine land rating. His third class airman medical certificate, issued on September 16, 1998, contained a restriction for wearing corrective lenses. The pilot indicated he had accumulated a total of 80 hours of flight time when the application was made. According to Title 14 CFR Part 103 (Ultralight Vehicles), 103.1 (a) states that an ultralight is a vehicle that "is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant." An exemption to Part 103.1 (a) and (e) (1) through (e) (4) may be granted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to permit individuals to give instruction in powered ultralight vehicles that have a maximum empty weight of not more than 496 pounds, have a maximum fuel capacity of not more than 10 U.S. gallons, are not capable of more than 75 knots calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight, and have a power off stall speed that does not exceed 35 knots calibrated airspeed. According to a listing of all exemption holders, the pilot did not possess an exception to operate the airplane under Part 103. An autopsy on the pilot was performed on March 8, 2000, by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Division of Forensic Sciences in Trion, Georgia. Toxicology results for alcohol were negative. FAA participation was requested to investigate the accident; however, they declined to respond.
The pilot's failure to maintain appropriate clearance with objects during final approach to landing. A factor was the tree.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
