Schnitz FIIC-2 GOSHAWK N393Y

Summary

On 23 July 2001 at about 16:15 local time, a Schnitz FIIC-2 GOSHAWK registered N393Y was involved in an accident near Marion, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 July 2001 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Marion, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Zuehl Airport (1TE4)

Coordinates

29.5702, -98.1397

Aircraft

Schnitz FIIC-2 GOSHAWK

Registration

N393Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marion → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW01LA168

1 person died.

the loss of control on takeoff for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The two pilots were conducting a high speed taxi test run when the bi-wing, experimental, amateur-built airplane inadvertently took off. Witnesses observed the tandem-seat airplane make a "sharp turn to the left", "stall," impact terrain and catch fire. During the brief flight, witnesses heard a surging noise. The airplane had never been flown before and had been issued an experimental airworthiness certificate two months prior to the accident. According to people at the airport, the front seat pilot had been working on the airplane for over a year and had never flown it. They added that the propeller governor had been removed and reinstalled a few days prior to the accident. The rear seat pilot stated that it was his understanding that the airplane was not supposed to takeoff. Toxicology tests on the front seat pilot revealed 0.05 ug/ml of diphenhydramine in the pilot's blood, an unquantified amount of diphenhydramine in the liver, and 1.076 ug/ml of acetaminophen in the pilot's blood. Acetaminophen is an over-the-counter pain reliever commonly known by the trade name Tylenol. Diphenhydramine is an over-the-counter antihistamine. A study on the effects of diphenhydramine on driving performance revealed that the drug significantly impaired a person's ability to maneuver an automobile. Examination of the propeller governor revealed that the booster pump drive shaft was coated with what appeared to be a cooked oil coating, and the pilot valve was sticking inside the booster pump drive shaft. It could not be determined if the cooked oil coating was a result of the post crash fire or a pre-existing condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.