Daffron Harold C VARIEZE N3769D

Summary

On 6 March 1994 at about 21:08 local time, a Daffron Harold C VARIEZE registered N3769D was involved in an accident near Oxford, Mississippi, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 March 1994 at 21:08

Classification

Accident

Location

Oxford, Mississippi, United States

Nearest airport

University-Oxford (UOX)

Coordinates

34.3492, -89.5205

Aircraft

Daffron Harold C VARIEZE

Registration

N3769D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA94FA085

1 person died.

POOR PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND FOR FAILURE TO PERFORM HIGH AND LOW SPEED TAXI TESTS BEFORE THE FLIGHT AFTER REPAIRS AND MODIFICATION OF THE AIRPLANE. ADDITIONALLY, FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB OVER THE RUNWAY DUE TO PITCH OSCILLATIONS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES. ALSO, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH, AND ALTITUDE INADEQUATE FOR RECOVERY FROM THE INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER REASSEMBLY FOLLOWING REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS. AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS 15-20 FEET OVER THE RUNWAY WITH RUNWAY REMAINING, WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE OSCILLATE AROUND THE LATERAL AXIS. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF AND BANKED LEFT DURING WHICH THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN TO PITCH NOSE UP AND DOWN WHICH COINCIDED RESPECTIVELY WITH ADDING AND REDUCING POWER. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 120-150 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND WAS SEEN TO BANK TO THE LEFT ABOUT 90 DEGREES AFTER WHICH THE AIRPLANE PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 45 DEGREES NOSE LOW. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY POST CRASH FIRE. FLIGHT CONTROL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF INTERNAL MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE CARBURETOR AND MAGNETOS WERE DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. THE PILOT'S FLIGHT TIME WAS NOT ACCURATELY DETERMINED. THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM LOW OR HIGH SPEED TAXI TESTS BEFORE THE FIRST FLIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.