Schoonover John D KIT FOX IV 1200 N117S

Summary

On 14 April 2013 at about 12:15 local time, a Schoonover John D KIT FOX IV 1200 registered N117S was involved in an accident near St. Lucie, Florida, 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

14 April 2013 at 12:15

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Lucie, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Treasure Coast Airpark (FL37)

Coordinates

27.2381, -80.4753

Aircraft

Schoonover John D KIT FOX IV 1200

Registration

N117S

Category

Airplane

Year built

1993

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St. Lucie → St. Lucie

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13FA201

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the turn to final, which resulted in an exceedance of the wing’s critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s combined use of two sedating antihistamines, which resulted in his impairment. 

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported that the airplane took off from runway 27, turned north, then circled back to a left downwind to land on the same runway. One witness noted that, during the downwind leg, the airplane was "very close in" to the runway and that, although the airplane had taken off in conditions that were a "little hazy," he subsequently saw the airplane "popping through clouds" on the downwind leg. Another witness reported that, during the airplane's turn toward the final approach to the runway, she saw the airplane's nose drop and then the airplane heading "straight down" before it disappeared behind a tree line. Multiple witnesses reported hearing the engine operating at a high-power level. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's close, downwind track and the wreckage location relative to the runway were consistent with a cross-controlled aerodynamic stall. However, the witness statement of the airplane's nose dropping straight down and the heading of the airplane at ground impact were more indicative of a straight (relatively balanced flight) aerodynamic stall. Toxicology testing on the pilot detected low levels of the sedating antihistamine diphenhydramine and therapeutic levels of the sedating antihistamine doxylamine. The combination of the two drugs may increase side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, and memory problems, and the pilot's combined use of both drugs likely impaired his performance and contributed to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.