Wolseley Motors SE5-A N93725

Summary

On 23 June 2008 at about 12:30 local time, a Wolseley Motors SE5-A registered N93725 was involved in an accident near Seymour, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 June 2008 at 12:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Seymour, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Freeman Municipal Airport (SER)

Coordinates

38.9247, -85.9083

Aircraft

Wolseley Motors SE5-A

Registration

N93725

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seymour → Seymour

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI08CA168

Nobody was injured.

The pilot/builder's failure to manufacture the airplane with an appropriate engine thrust angle. Contributing to the accident was the pilot/builder's adjustment of the horizontal stabilizer which rendered the airplane uncontrollable.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident occurred during the second flight since manufacture/certification. The experimental amateur built airplane was a reproduction of a WWI British fighter that was in production 1916-1918. On the first flight, the pilot noted that forward stick pressure was needed to maintain level flight. The pilot/builder subsequently adjusted the horizontal stabilizer to increase the nose-down flight characteristics. On the second flight, the pilot stated that the takeoff was normal, but the airplane had a lower rate-of-climb and airspeed than the first flight. Upon reaching 2,000 feet, the pilot reduced engine power and noted having normal stick pressure to maintain a level flight attitude, but a 10 mph drop in airspeed and 100 feet per minute descent rate. The airspeed and altitude continued to decrease as he turned to the left. An increase in engine power did not result in an increase in airspeed or reduction of the descent rate. The pilot stated that the airplane continued to lose airspeed and altitude until about 30-40 feet about ground level when the right wing dropped and the airplane impacted terrain. The original airplane design incorporated an engine installation with a zero degree engine thrust angle. The accident airplane incorporated a different engine that resulted in a 12-degree engine thrust angle. The pilot/builder was unaware of the thrust angle differences until after the accident flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.