Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB CEN09LA440
Antares MA-33 — Centerburg, OH
| Date | July 15, 2009 |
| Location | Centerburg, OH |
| Aircraft | Antares MA-33 (amateur-built) |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 54 |
| Pilot total time | 1,250 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | 8 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft handling/service-Maintenance/inspections-Scheduled maint checks-Not inspected
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
What happened
A witness reported that the pilot departed from the grass airstrip in the weight-shift controlled aircraft about three minutes prior to the accident. He reported that the aircraft was about 100 - 150 feet above ground level. He stated, “The plane seemed to go up and then the left wing dipped, and then the airplane spiraled to the ground.” He reported that the engine was running. The impact damage to the aircraft was consistent with a steep, nose down attitude. The inspection of the aircraft’s weight-shift control system revealed no preexisting anomalies. The inspection of the aircraft logbook indicated that the last conditional maintenance inspection was conducted on December 15, 2006. A review of the aircraft experimental operating limitations as of August 28, 2005, item #18, stated that, “No person shall operate this aircraft unless the preceding twelve calendar months it has had a conditional inspection performed, and recorded in the aircraft maintenance records.”