Weste AVID N126DW

Summary

On 15 October 2000 at about 21:40 local time, a Weste AVID registered N126DW, operated by KEN M. Boze, was involved in an accident near Chugiak, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 October 2000 at 21:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Chugiak, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Birchwood (PABV)

Coordinates

61.4091, -149.1692

Aircraft

Weste AVID

Registration

N126DW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

KEN M. Boze

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC01LA008

1 person had minor injuries.

A total loss of engine power due to a piston failure. Factors in the accident were an out-of-rig flight control system, an inadvertent stall, and no suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private certificated pilot reported he was asked by the owner to fly a newly homebuilt experimental airplane to evaluate its handling characteristics. The pilot owns a similar homebuilt airplane. The pilot said he briefly flew the airplane in the past. To maintain level flight, the pilot said he had to hold the flight control stick to the right and forward of a neutral position. Additionally, he had to hold left rudder pressure to maintain a straight and level flight attitude. The pilot also said that he thought the airplane seemed airworthy. The owner of the airplane asked the pilot to fly one more time before any changes were made to the rigging of the flight controls. The pilot said he operated the airplane on the ground for about 20 minutes, and then departed to conduct some touch and go landings. The airplane required the same out-of-neutral positioning of the controls as the previous flight. The pilot made one low pass to the runway, and was following another airplane that had extended its downwind landing pattern. The pilot said he was at 500 feet msl when the engine, a Rotax 582, suddenly quit. The airplane entered an uncommanded right spin. He recovered the airplane from the spin above tree-top level and had insufficient altitude to land at the airport. The pilot made a forced landing in a swampy area with the landing gear in the down position. The right wing struck the ground and broke off. The pilot reported that the engine lost compression.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.