RANS INC S-16 SHEKARI — Pierce, NE

What happened

The private pilot was approaching his private airstrip in his experimental amateur-built airplane when witnesses heard the sound of the engine stop. The airplane then impacted a field about ¼ mile from the approach end of the runway. The runway's usable length was limited due to standing water and mud; thus, the approach for landing would have necessitated a low-speed, low-altitude approach with low engine power to minimize airplane energy. The wreckage path and airplane damage were consistent with a low-speed, nose-low impact.

The accident occurred about 1 hour after the pilot fueled the airplane with 16.5 gallons of 100 low-lead (LL) fuel. Postaccident examination of the fuel tank found that it contained useable fuel. No indication of water was found in the fuel.

Recorded data from the airplane' s electronic flight instrument system showed that the airplane's speed decreased below stall speed and engine operation continued until the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane was not equipped with a stall warning system, and there were no markings on airspeed instruments indicating the stall speed. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board was unable to determine, from the available evidence, the number of hours that the pilot flew in the accident airplane make and model, which he had purchased 6 months before the accident.

Although the pilot's severe heart disease placed him at increased risk for an acute cardiac event, whether or not symptoms from such an event contributed to this accident could not be determined. Thus, the reason for the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed could not be determined.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.