Avid FLYER N8031M

Summary

On 9 July 1995 at about 00:45 local time, a Avid FLYER registered N8031M was involved in an accident near Auburn, Kansas, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 July 1995 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Auburn, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Private Airstrip

Coordinates

38.8994, -95.8092

Aircraft

Avid FLYER

Registration

N8031M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI95LA214

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot operating the airplane with known deficiencies. Factors included lack of recent flight experience, inadequate maintenance, and low airspeed.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT TWICE IN NOVEMBER 1994, AND THAT THE AILERONS HAD BEEN 'SLUGGISH' AND 'SPONGY.' HE HAD NOT FLOWN AGAIN UNTIL THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. HE DEPARTED HIS PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AND 'WIGGLED' THE WINGS PASSING 50 FEET. HE FELT THE SAME SLUGGISHNESS THAT HE FELT THE PREVIOUS NOVEMBER. AT 200 FEET HE REDUCED POWER AND STARTED A 15 DEGREE ANGLE OF BANK TURN. HE TRIED LEVELING THE WINGS BUT THE AILERONS WERE UNRESPONSIVE AND THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO ROLL. AT 50 FEET HE APPLIED FULL POWER AND RIGHT RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND WITH THE WINGS NEARLY LEVEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MIGHT HAVE REDUCED TOO MUCH POWER AND GOT TOO SLOW, STALLING THE AIRPLANE. HE HAD NOT FLOWN RECENTLY. HE ALSO STATED THAT ANOTHER EXPERIENCED PILOT FAMILIAR WITH AN 'AVID FLYER' SHOULD HAVE CHECKED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BEFORE HE HAD FLOWN THE AIRPLANE AGAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.