Plane Crash List

Harkness Richard W ADVENTURE N87RH

13 October 1992 · New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 13 October 1992 at about 18:30 local time, a Harkness Richard W ADVENTURE registered N87RH, operated by Deshler, Marshall L., was involved in an accident near New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 18:30
Classification
Accident
Location
New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Harkness Richard W ADVENTURE
Registration
N87RH
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Deshler, Marshall L.
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Titusville → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
MIA93LA006

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 1 0 0 0

Probable cause

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ABOVE STALL SPEED FOLLOWING ENGINE FAILURE RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT STALLING AND DESCENDING UNCONTROLLED TO THE GROUND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S IMPROPER LEANING OF THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED ENGINE OVERHEATING AND ENGINE SEIZURE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT CIRCLE THE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 2,500 FEET AND PERFORM A DESCENDING TURN TO OVERFLY THE RUNWAY FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. THE AIRCRAFT LEVELED OFF AT 300 FEET OVER THE RUNWAY AT AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 160 MPH. AS THE AIRCRAFT PASSED THE NORTH END OF THE RUNWAY THE PILOT BEGAN A MODERATE PITCH UP AND THE ENGINE STOPPED COMPLETELY. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE PITCH UP AND MADE A HARD LEFT TURN. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, HOWEVER, THE PILOT REGAINED CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED SEVERAL MORE TIMES PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER HAD SEIZED DUE TO OVERHEATING WHICH WAS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE LEANING. NO MECHANICAL FAILURE WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED EXCESSIVE LEANING WAS FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
8 Feb 1992 Cessna 150M
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no coordinates
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10 Feb 1992 Piper PA-28-161
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no coordinates
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21 Feb 1992 Cessna 172N
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8 Feb 1992 Cessna 152
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All 170,864 records in United States