Trailing Pilot Saw Ailerons Drooping; Investigators Find
Linkage Disconnected
The
National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report on the
January 25 takeoff crash of a Remos GX at Sebring Regional Airport
(SEF), released this week, sheds new insight into the accident that
seriously injured the pilot, Mike Kostelac, and claimed the life of
British aviation photographer Steven E. Fletcher.
As ANN reported, the accident airplane took
off ahead of a second Remos on runway 18, for a planned air-to-air
photo shoot. According to the Prelim, the pilot of the trailing
aircraft told investigators "he observed the accident airplane roll
to the right when it was 25 to 50 feet above ground level
(AGL).
"He also observed that the rudder appeared to be fully deflected
to the left, the accident airplane was in a slip to the right, and
both the left and right ailerons appeared to be drooping trailing
edge down."
The witness says the accident plane reached about 100' AGL,
before starting a descending steep turn to the right. The aircraft
impacted the airport parking ramp after completing a nearly
270-degree turn, at a bank angle of about 80 degrees. The plane
struck right-wing-first, with the nose then impacting the surface
and the plane skidding to the right.
The aircraft came to rest in a depression next to taxiway "A,"
paralleling runway 18 and in front of a local aviation
business.
Investigators noted damage consistent with the nature of the
impact, with the tailboom almost completely separated from the
cockpit area, inverted, and angled to the right of the longitudinal
axis of the aircraft. The aircraft's right wing was separated from
the fuselage and in several pieces, while the left wing remained
attached to the plane, as did the engine.
The Remos is equipped with a removable horizontal stabilizer,
and folding wings. Both are features meant to make the aircraft
easier to store; those components are secured to the
aircraft with locking bolts and sleeves, with quick
release connectors linking control cables and rods to the
control surfaces.
The accident aircraft, N9GX, had about 15 hours on its airframe
at the time of the accident. It was one of two Remos planes
displayed by the company at the US Sport Aviation Expo, which
was underway at the time of the crash across the field at SEF. The
plane was displayed throughout the show with its right wing folded
(below.)
Investigators say they found the stabilizer and both wings
secured to the aircraft, with control linkages to the elevator and
right aileron intact. The quick-release buttons on the control
linkages to the stabilizer and right aileron were extended and
secure. The NTSB did find the right aileron control rod severed
ahead of the quick-connect linkage, though investigators linked
that damage to impact forces.
The NTSB continues "that unlike the elevator's and right
aileron's quick release rod-connectors, the left aileron's quick
release rod-connector was not connected to the quick connector
release fork." The NTSB does not state whether or not that
condition may have been due to the accident, or may have
existed prior to impact.
A probable cause report is expected to be issued within the
year.