Gearn Geary D SWEARINGEN SX300 N3ZX

Summary

On 10 November 2010 at about 19:53 local time, a Gearn Geary D SWEARINGEN SX300 registered N3ZX was involved in an accident near Milford, Iowa, 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

10 November 2010 at 19:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Milford, Iowa, United States

Nearest airport

Spencer Municipal (SPW)

Coordinates

43.2989, -95.3286

Aircraft

Gearn Geary D SWEARINGEN SX300

Registration

N3ZX

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Minneapolis → Hereford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11LA066

1 person died.

A loss of control for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident occurred during the instrument rated pilot's return flight home after an avionics upgrade, including the installation of flat panel flight displays. The pilot conducted a test flight the day prior to the accident flight with only minor discrepancies noted. There was no record of a preflight weather briefing associated with the accident flight. Radar track data showed the accident airplane on a southwest course at 8,600 feet mean sea level (msl). About 15 minutes prior to the accident, the airplane made a course adjustment to the west, before returning to a southwest course. During this time, the aircraft began a descent to 7,000 feet msl. The final radar data point was located about 1 mile southeast of the accident site. Witnesses reported hearing an airplane flying in a southwest direction. About 2 minutes later, they heard the sound of the engine increase, followed by a "big boom" and then nothing. The accident site was located in an open agricultural field. A postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. Weather data indicated the presence of an overcast cloud layer at 2,300 feet above ground level (agl), with additional cloud layer(s) between 4,000 feet msl and 8,500 feet msl, in the vicinity of the accident site.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.