Southern COMFORT N19FH

Summary

On 15 March 1984 at about 19:35 local time, a Southern COMFORT registered N19FH, operated by John H. Helton, was involved in an accident near Lakeland, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

15 March 1984 at 19:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakeland, Florida, United States

Coordinates

28.0109, -81.9298

Aircraft

Southern COMFORT

Registration

N19FH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John H. Helton

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA84FA106

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE PERFORMING AEROBATICS AT AN AIRSHOW, THE FABRIC ON TOP OF THE UPPER WING STARTED SEPARATING FROM THE WING. THE PLT CONTINUED FLYING THE ACFT & TRIED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. HOWEVER, WHEN FLT COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED WITH FULL POWER, DUE TO LOSS OF AIRSPEED & ALT, THE PLT PARACHUTED FROM THE ACFT. THE ACFT CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD & BURNED. THE PLT'S PARACHUTE OPENED JUST SECONDS BEFORE HE IMPACTED THE GROUND. HE RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES DURING GROUND CONTACT AFTER INITIATING HIS BAIL-OUT AT APRX 500 FT. THE OWNER/BUILDER STATED THAT HE REALIZED THAT FABRIC OF AEROBATIC ACFT NORMALLY HAVE STICHES 1 INCH APART, BUT HE BUILT HIS WITH STICHES 2 INCHES APART. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE BUILT THE ACFT, HE DID NOT PLAN TO ALLOW AEROBATICS TO BE DONE WITH THE ACFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.