Official NTSB Report Has Yet To Be Released, However
While NTSB's official report remains a work in progress,
officials from Sport-Jet builder, Excel-Jet, tell ANN that the
NTSB's investigation has given them preliminary acknowledgement
that, "The Sport-Jet aircraft had no mechanical failures."
In the absence of an official pronouncement, the
official (and current) statement from NTSB remains, "This accident
is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Progress of the investigation can be obtained from Jennifer Kaiser
who is the investigator in charge for this accident."
The NTSB's comments concerning the aircraft are significant,
notes Bornhofen, President of Excel-Jet, Ltd., as the aircraft had
25 hours of 'virtually flawless flight testing' and had covered
over 95% of the aircraft's stated performance envelope. "There has
been a lot of speculation concerning the integrity of the aircraft
and/or its systems and we can now move forward with confidence,"
Bornhofen observed.
"This was absolutely miserable luck," stated James Stewart,
veteran test pilot and pilot-in-command of the accident
aircraft.
"I never saw any flashing danger lights in the process of
getting to the runway and taking off." But this experience has not
dampened his enthusiasm for the Sport-Jet.
The Company say that they are convinced that the NTSB final
report will cite the cause of the accident as wake turbulence. "A
Dash 8 turboprop took off prior to the Sport-Jet and every
indication suggests that we were a victim of wake turbulence.
However, until the NTSB reviews the tower tapes and other
information, they can not issue a final report," said Bornhofen.
This conclusion is supported by Gary Czajkowski, Vice President of
Aviation Claims for AirSure Limited, a veteran examiner of aircraft
accidents, who stated, "My examination of the scene, inspection of
the aircraft and further research all point to the distinct
possibility of wake turbulence."
A study of accidents involving wake turbulence shows a high
level of fatal accidents from general aviation to airline. In fact,
29 accidents on file all include fatalities.
Excel-Jet credits the Sport-Jet's carbon fiber roll-cage cabin
for having provided sufficient protection in assuring that the
pilot and mechanic passenger were not severely injured.
Stewart also noted that, "The Williams FJ33-4A-15 powerplant
remained in place due to the structure and strength of the engine
mounting system and the design of the intake duct system. Not one
drop of fuel spilled from the aircraft so there was no fire. The
aircraft structure absorbed much of the energy of the aircraft as
it impacted the runway."
Launch order customer Bob Stanford of Zenith Aviation stated,
"We remain committed to our launch order for the Sport-Jet as we
believe even more strongly in its many attributes. The proven
crashworthy cabin reinforces what initial testing has shown, that
Sport-Jet offers high performance in a simple-to-fly aircraft with
an unusually large and occupant-friendly cabin."
President Bob Bornhofen elaborated, "The Sport-Jet's unique
cabin and other crush zones did exactly as designed in protecting
the occupants. No parachute system or second engine could have
offered better protection. This type of incident is probably the
worst any pilot will face and the Sport-Jet's design has altered
the traditional outcome." AirSure's Czajkowski also supports
Bornhofen saying, "I was extremely impressed with how well the
fuselage remained intact under the tremendous forces imposed upon
it during this accident."
NTSB Preliminary Report
NTSB Identification: DEN06LA090
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 22, 2006 in Colorado Sprngs,
CO
Aircraft: Bornhofen Sport-Jet, registration: N350SJ
Injuries: 2 Serious.
This is preliminary
information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors
in this report will be corrected when the final report has been
completed.
On June 22, 2006, at 0953 mountain daylight time, a Bornhofen
Sport-Jet experimental turbojet airplane, N350SJ, operated by a
commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted
terrain after takeoff from the City of Colorado Springs Municipal
Airport (COS), Colorado Springs, Colorado. Visual meteorological
conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal
flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR
Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his passenger
sustained serious injures. The local flight was originating at the
time of the accident.
According to the COS air traffic control tower, the airplane
departed runway 17 R (11,022 feet by 150 feet, asphalt), became
airborn only momentarily, and then impacted the runway and
surrounding terrain. Several witnesses reported that approximately
15 feet above ground level (agl), the airplane rolled hard to the
left and began to "cartwheel" down the runway. The airplane came to
rest 3,000 feet south of the runway threshold. Both landing gear
assemblies separated, the left wing was crushed and bent aft at
midspan, and the horizontal stabilizer was crushed.