Curtis RANS S-12 N410ZE

Summary

On 4 July 1993 at about 21:53 local time, a Curtis RANS S-12 registered N410ZE, operated by Bish, Gregory Keith, was involved in an accident near Samoa, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 July 1993 at 21:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Samoa, California, United States

Coordinates

40.7896, -124.1993

Aircraft

Curtis RANS S-12

Registration

N410ZE

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Bish, Gregory Keith

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Eureka → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93LA276

1 person died.

THE INADVERTENT STALL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE EMERGENCY PARACHUTE SYSTEM THAT WAS DEPLOYED BY THE PILOT, THE PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE PARACHUTE SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT TO DEPLOY PROPERLY, AND THE INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE AIRCRAFT PARACHUTE MANUFACTURER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE, WHICH HAS A REAR MOUNTED ENGINE, SEEMED TO BE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY WITH CONTROLLABILITY DUE TO THE HIGH WINDS IN THE AREA. THE CONSENSUS WAS THAT THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO ENTER A STALL, AND THEN IT SPUN SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT BALLISTIC PARACHUTE SYSTEM WAS MANUALLY DEPLOYED BY THE PILOT, BUT DID NOT INFLATE BEHIND THE AIRPLANE. THE PARACHUTE WAS FOUND ENTANGLED IN THE CRANKSHAFT JUST FORWARD OF THE PROPELLER. THE PARACHUTE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THE ENGINE SHOULD BE STOPPED PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT OF THE PARACHUTE. IT ALSO RECOMMENDS NOT DEPLOYING THE PARACHUTE IN 'STRONG WINDS OR CONVECTION', ALTHOUGH NO SPECIFIC GUIDELINES WERE FOUND FOR THE PILOT TO FOLLOW IN THE EVENT HE ENCOUNTERED SUCH PHENOMENA. A SENIOR TECHNICIAN WHO WORKED AT THE PARACHUTE MANUFACTURER APPROVED THE INSTALLATION OF THE PARACHUTE PER PHOTO DOCUMENTATION, AS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE COMPANY COULD NOT PROVIDE A WRITTEN RECORD OF THE APPROVAL. THE MANUAL DOES NOT ADDRESS A MINIMUM RECOMMENDED ALTITUDE OR A MINIMUM SPEED FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE PARACHUTE. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION FAILED TO FIND ANY PRE EXISTING FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE PROPELLER OR POWERPLANT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.