Aero Partners One CA 7SL N4075Z

Summary

On 15 May 2002 at about 23:05 local time, a Aero Partners One CA 7SL registered N4075Z, operated by Jerome Jacques Oerlemans, was involved in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida, 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

15 May 2002 at 23:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Merritt Island, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Cocoa Merritt Island (COI)

Coordinates

28.3472, -80.6869

Aircraft

Aero Partners One CA 7SL

Registration

N4075Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jerome Jacques Oerlemans

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Merritt Island → Merritt Island

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ATL02LA099

1 person died.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision resulting in the misconfiguration of the flaps and the elevator trim setting. The misconfiguration resulted in an inadvertent pitch-up, loss of airspeed, stall and collision with the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was practicing touch and go landings at the time of the accident. On the third approach, the airplane was high and hot (fast) nearing the end of runway 11. Witnesses heard the engine power-up and saw the airplane climb to a near vertical attitude. The airplane appeared to have stalled and entered a spin to the left. The airplane rotated approximately 380 degrees before impacting the water. The wing flaps were found in the up position. The rudder trim was found trimmed slightly to the left. The elevator trim was found in the landing configuration, approximately two inches down at the trailing edge. According to the manufacturer, when landing with full flaps, the elevator trim must be adjusted to the nose up position. When conducting a go-around the flaps are raised and the elevator must be adjusted to a more neutral position or the airplane will pitch up.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.