Ives SONERAI II-L N56RA

Summary

On 25 April 1999 at about 17:00 local time, a Ives SONERAI II-L registered N56RA was involved in an accident near Eastford, Connecticut, 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.

Date

25 April 1999 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Eastford, Connecticut, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Ives SONERAI II-L

Registration

N56RA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fitchburg → Willimantic

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC99FA097

1 person died.

Inadequate welding of the airplane's spar-box by the owner/builder, which resulted in a total spar-box failure in-flight. A factor in the accident was the pilot's decision to perform aerobatics.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After having breakfast with a friend, the pilot departed. No one else reported seeing him or the airplane until a witness, approximately 50 yards from the accident site, saw the airplane a little over tree top level. While staying in the vicinity of the accident site, the airplane conducted several aerobatic maneuvers. Then, while in a steep turn to the left, the right wing separated, and then the left. The engine continued to run until ground impact. Examination of fractures surfaces on the spar-box revealed cold welds, and corrosion.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.