Rans S20 N6915G

Summary

On 18 September 2021 at about 22:45 local time, a Rans S20 registered N6915G was involved in an accident near Wadsworth, Ohio, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 September 2021 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Wadsworth, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Wadsworth Municipal (3G3)

Coordinates

41.0046, -81.7551

Aircraft

Rans S20

Registration

N6915G

Category

Airplane

Year built

2021

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wadworth → Wadsworth

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21FA426

1 person died.

The pilot’s decision to depart shortly after a landing helicopter, which resulted in an encounter with the helicopter’s wake turbulence and a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment by his recent use of ethanol.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the airplane was holding short of the runway for takeoff when he asked the pilot of an inbound helicopter to side-step to the taxiway so that the airplane could depart. The helicopter pilot reported that a side-step would have resulted in the helicopter flying directly over the airplane and that he side-stepped the helicopter toward the taxiway after clearing the airplane. An airport surveillance camera captured the airplane start the takeoff roll after the helicopter passed. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane entered a steep roll and impacted the runway. A postimpact fire ensued. Toxicology testing of the pilot was positive for ethanol in blood, vitreous fluid, urine, gastric contents, and liver tissue. The ethanol in blood concentration (0.108 gm/dL) was associated with impairment, and alcohol consumption was fairly recent to the accident based on the concentration levels in the pilot’s body. The pilot completed building the airplane about 5 months before the accident. The engine had a history of high oil and cylinder head temperatures, which may have been a factor in the pilot’s decision to depart so soon after the helicopter to reduce idling time on the ground. Based on the available information, it is likely that the airplane encountered wake turbulence from the landing helicopter during takeoff, which resulted in the pilot’s loss of control. It is likely that the pilot’s impairment from ethanol contributed to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.