O'dell AEROMASTER N55J

Summary

On 31 July 2015 at about 00:41 local time, a O'dell AEROMASTER registered N55J was involved in an accident near Sulphur Springs, Texas, 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

31 July 2015 at 00:41

Classification

Accident

Location

Sulphur Springs, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Sulphur Springs Municipal Airp (SLR)

Coordinates

33.1406, -95.6106

Aircraft

O'dell AEROMASTER

Registration

N55J

Category

Airplane

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sulphur Springs → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15LA329

1 person died.

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postimpact damage precluded a thorough examination of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain control following the loss of engine power, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall/spin.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot had purchased the experimental amateur-built airplane about 2 weeks before the accident. The previous owner had provided the pilot with a 1-hour familiarization flight, during which he repeatedly told the pilot not to lean the mixture control on takeoff. During takeoff on the familiarization flight, the pilot leaned the mixture, resulting in a total loss of engine power while still on the runway. After advancing the mixture control, the engine restarted and they continued the flight. The pilot again leaned the mixture control at altitude, which resulted in the engine running rough. Following the familiarization flight, the pilot departed to an unknown destination, and, during that flight, he landed at an en route airport due to a rough-running engine. Maintenance personnel at the airport found that the airplane had 26 mechanical discrepancies and was unairworthy. Two mechanics and two experimental aircraft builders told the pilot that the airplane was unsafe and should be taken apart and "trailered" home. The mechanic repaired a leaking brake, replaced all of the spark plugs, serviced the oil, and ran the engine. During the postmaintenance engine run, the magnetos were checked and appeared to function properly, and the engine ran smoothly. The pilot then departed on the accident flight. The mechanic stated that the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power about 200 ft above ground level and the airplane entered a left turn, which subsequently developed into a stall/spin. The airplane completed about 1/4 turn in the spin before impacting terrain. Postaccident examination was precluded by damage sustained in the postcrash fire. The investigation was unable to determine if the loss of engine power occurred due to the pilot's improper manipulation of the engine controls, or if there was a mechanical malfunction.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.