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.

FMI: Read The NTSB Prelim