Miller ZENAIR CRICKET MC-12 N36CZ

Summary

On 24 June 2006 at about 13:00 local time, a Miller ZENAIR CRICKET MC-12 registered N36CZ was involved in an accident near Lee's Summit, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 June 2006 at 13:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lee's Summit, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Lee's Summit Muni (LXT)

Coordinates

38.9556, -94.3714

Aircraft

Miller ZENAIR CRICKET MC-12

Registration

N36CZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lee's Summit → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI06LA164

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while operating in the traffic pattern after the loss of power in one engine, resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin. An additional cause was the loss of engine power in one of the two engines for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The twin engine airplane descended to ground impact following a loss of engine power while operating in the traffic pattern. Witnesses reported that the pilot took off and remained in the traffic pattern. He executed a low pass over the departure runway about 200 feet above ground level. The witnesses reported that during the low approach, the engines did not sound normal and described them as "out of synch" and "missing." One witness stated, "it sounded like one engine was spitting and coughing. . . . [The pilot] turned a left crosswind just south of runway 11/29 and shortly after, it sounded like the engine quit. One engine was still running though." The witnesses stated that the airplane turned to a left crosswind and subsequently left downwind. They noted that the airplane appeared to be descending as it was established on downwind. One witness stated that as the airplane reached a point abeam the airport terminal building on downwind, it "pitched up and snapped hard to the right and then went into a downward spiral." Another witness stated that "as the plane got lower, it was just above the tree line but still in sight. Suddenly the aircraft rolled over and headed straight for the ground." A post accident inspection revealed no anomalies consistent with a pre-impact failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.