Knapple/Wray Lancair IV-P N330KT

Summary

On 17 February 2004 at about 20:40 local time, a Knapple/Wray Lancair IV-P registered N330KT was involved in an accident near Apache Junction, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 February 2004 at 20:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Apache Junction, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

33.4414, -111.5514

Aircraft

Knapple/Wray Lancair IV-P

Registration

N330KT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Falcon Field → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04LA125

2 people died.

the pilot/builder's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering that resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was observed by three witnesses in a flat counterclockwise spin from about 2,000 feet as it descended to ground impact. No one observed the airplane prior to the spin. All of the witnesses, one of whom is a commercial pilot, heard the sound of the turbine engine running throughout the spin, which consisted of 3 or 4 complete rotations. The purpose of the flight was to meet the specifications as outlined in the Phase 1 flight testing portion of the experimental operating limitations, as issued by the FAA. This was the third recorded flight. Due to the post-impact fire, control continuity was not confirmed during the subsequent wreckage examination. No evidence of preexisting mechanical malfunctions was noted with either the engine or propeller assembly. The engine and propeller control linkages were in the normal operating range near flight idle. During engine disassembly and teardown, a composite material, similar to a heat shield material commonly used to insulate the composite cowling, was located in the compressor and burner sections of the engine. The engine is a reverse flow free power turbine, with the power turbine shaft connected to the propeller. The engine is mounted in the airframe with the compressor inlet at the rear of the engine compartment.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.