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NTSB Preliminary Report & Photo: Minkler Venture M20 N360

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  • NTSB Preliminary Report & Photo: Minkler Venture M20 N360

    After much internal debate, we have decided that the NTSB report, coupled with the photo taken by Steve Swann of the failure of the horizontal stabilizer, does not spark more debate than it gives answers. We would like to emphisize that this *preliminary* report is only that... preliminary. The photo only illistrates what the NTSB report states regarding the structural failure. We would ask everyone to keep speculation to a minimum.

    Thank You,
    Wayne Sagar

    NTSB Identification: LAX02LA283

    Accident occurred Friday, September 13, 2002 at Reno, NV
    Aircraft:Minkler Venture M20, registration: N360
    Injuries: 1 Fatal.

    This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

    On September 13, 2002, at 1440 Pacific daylight time, an amateur-built Minkler Venture M20 airplane, N360, sustained a structural failure of the left and right horizontal stabilizers and the associated elevators at the Reno-Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada, while participating in the sport class race as part of the annual Reno Air Races. Following the structural failure of the stabilizers and elevators, the airplane dove into the ground. The airplane, which was destroyed in the collision sequence, was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

    Federal Aviation Administration inspectors from the Reno Flight Standards District Office were present at the airport monitoring air race activities. They responded to the accident site and interviewed witnesses. The accident occurred about halfway through the sport class race. As the airplane was rounding pylon No. 1, the horizontal stabilizers and elevators began flexing (one witness who telephoned a report to Safety Board investigators said the airplane began a shallow porpoise just before) and then bent down. The airplane then dove into the ground. Preliminary on-site assessment of the wreckage disclosed that the horizontal stabilizers and elevators remained attached to the empennage; however, they were bent down at an acute angle at a point about 2 feet outboard from the root on each side.
    Attached Files
    Wayne Sagar
    "Pusher of Electrons"

  • #2
    Wow. I was at work tonight when I first pulled up the photo. I showed one of my buddies, then the entire room saw it and everyone went quiet. About 20 pilots all stood around the screen, staring at the horizontal stab, asking the same question I was:

    "How the heck did it do that?!"

    Tragedy. Thanks for sharing the photo, Wayne (although I supported your decision regardless of the outcime).

    Comment


    • #3
      I'm at a loss.........Randy's Wow pretty much sums it up for me.

      I pray that we can somehow learn from this tragedy.

      Thanks for posting the picture, Wayne......it causes MANY questions in my mind, but people seldom search for the answers to questions that nobody bothers to ask.

      This question begs for an answer IMHO......no, not for blame or finger-pointing, but simply to try to prevent similar tragedy.

      How DID it do that?!

      Comment


      • #4
        Picture

        This is a very classic overload failure of the horizontal stab.

        It is not very often (read basically never) that a photographer captures a structural failure as it is happening with this degree of detail. The Venture is designed to be +6/-3 and I am sure the NTSB is studying the remains of the aft fuselage of this aircraft very closely to determine if it was constructed to specification or was there something else that pricipitated this failure.

        A large group of inflight breakups occur this very way. I recently participated in an investigation of an accident in Alaska with a Cessna A185F that failed similar to this. Usually you will see the aircraft pitch forward after the stabilizer failure and then the wing will fail downward also.

        Lots to learn here. I really believe that the sports class needs to be looked at very closely to ensure that this does not happen again.

        King

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