Stoddard Hamilton GLASAIR II C-GAFT

Summary

On 17 July 2019 at about 20:40 local time, a Stoddard Hamilton GLASAIR II registered C-GAFT was involved in an accident near Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 July 2019 at 20:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

35.5181, -85.4294

Aircraft

Stoddard Hamilton GLASAIR II

Registration

C-GAFT

Category

Airplane

Year built

2002

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cleveland → Fond Du Lac

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC19LA036

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to switch to the secondary electrical system after the primary electrical system failed for unknown reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While enroute, during a cross-country flight, the experimental amateur-built airplane experienced a complete failure of the electrical system, which resulted in a complete loss of engine power. The pilot subsequently made an off-airport landing in a meadow, however during final approach, the airplane aerodynamically stalled, landed hard, bounced, and nosed over. The airplane was equipped with a backup electrical circuit system which was labeled the essential bus. The pilot reported that during the accident sequence he failed to switch the power supply to the backup power. It is likely that the primary electrical system that the pilot installed failed for unknown reasons, and if he had switched to the secondary electrical system, the airplane would have likely restored electrical power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.