Shoemaker S-12 AERAILE N82584

Summary

On 17 July 1998 at about 00:25 local time, a Shoemaker S-12 AERAILE registered N82584 was involved in an accident near Marion, Arkansas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 July 1998 at 00:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Marion, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Finley Airstrip (NONE)

Coordinates

35.1994, -90.1994

Aircraft

Shoemaker S-12 AERAILE

Registration

N82584

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA313

2 people were seriously injured.

The non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain minimum required airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall. A factor was the pilot's lack of total flight experience.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the aircraft turn left from a downwind leg north of the airstrip onto a final approach for a landing to the east. The turn was made at a 50 degree angle of bank, at an altitude of approximately 150-200 feet agl. During the left turn, the aircraft's nose dropped and it descended to the ground, impacting approximately 0.4 miles west of the runway. The witnesses reported that the engine was operating during the descent and continued to operate on the ground. All flight controls were found to have continuity. The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that he was not and never had been a certificated pilot or student pilot, and his only aviation experience was having flown in an ultralight style aircraft two years ago. The pilot further reported that he 'thought the aircraft, which he had just purchased the day before the accident, was an ultralight vehicle, requiring no pilot's license to operate.' This was the pilot's first flight in the aircraft. According to the builder, the Rans S-12 Aeraile kit built aircraft was constructed in 1995 'as an amateur built aircraft, and was issued a Special Airworthiness Certificate/Experimental - Operating Amateur Built Aircraft, by the Atlanta FAA.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.