N235U

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 14, 2005, at 1405 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built Plavcan Lancair 235, N235U, and a Cessna 172L, N7768G, were destroyed during a mid-air collision near Rootstown, Ohio. The Lancair was conducting a personal flight. The Cessna was engaged in a dual instructional flight. Both flights were being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without flight plans. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger in the Lancair, and the flight instructor and dual student in the Cessna were fatally injured. The Lancair departed Carroll County--Tolson Airport (TSO), Carrollton, Ohio, about 1345 with an intended destination of Portage County Airport (29G), Ravenna, Ohio. The Cessna departed Akron Fulton International Airport (AKR) about 1345 for the local flight.

A friend of the individuals in the Lancair reported that the accident pilot and his pilot-rated passenger flew from Geauga County Airport (7G8), Middlefield, Ohio, to TSO for lunch on the day of the accident. The friend stated that he flew a second airplane to meet them at TSO. He noted that after lunch his friends planned make a stop at 29G prior to returning to 7G8. He returned directly to 7G8, arriving there about 1430.

According to an individual at the flight school, the flight instructor and dual student were conducting a final flight lesson in preparation for a stage check scheduled for that afternoon. This lesson was to include instrument flight proficiency maneuvers and VOR orientation and tracking. He noted that the lesson began about 1300 and that the instructor had another student scheduled at 1500.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provided radar track data depicting aircraft operating under visual flight rules (VFR) with transponder beacon codes of 1200 in the vicinity of the accident site. Review of this data revealed two radar targets whose flight paths appeared to intersect near the accident site at 1405.

The first track, which was associated with Lancair N235U, originated at 1349:41 (HHMM:SS), about 1.2 nautical miles (nm) southwest of TSO. The plot of the track data indicated that the flight proceeded northbound and climbed to approximately 2,400 feet pressure altitude. Final radar contact attributed to that aircraft was at 1405:05, located at 41 degrees 5.6 minutes north latitude, 081 degrees 11.7 minutes west longitude.

The second track, associated with Cessna N7768G, originated at 1345:56 over AKR. The flight proceeded eastbound and climbed to a maximum altitude of 3,300 feet pressure altitude. Track data indicated that the flight conducted several maneuvers and altitude changes. Final radar contact attributable to the aircraft was at 1405:05, located at 41 degrees, 5.6 minutes north latitude, 081 degrees, 11.7 minutes west longitude.

Two additional VFR radar targets were observed after the apparent intercept of the flight paths. The first was at 1405:10, 0.15 nm northwest of and at the same altitude as the final target attributed to N7768G. The second was at 1405:15, 0.23 nm northwest of and 500 feet below the altitude of the final target attributed to N7768G. Several primary radar targets were also observed in the same area between 1405:05 and 1405:15.

The Lancair fuselage came to rest at 41 degrees 6.0 minutes north latitude, 081 degrees 5.9 minutes west longitude. The Cessna fuselage came to rest at 41 degrees 5.9 minutes north latitude, 081 degrees 12.1 minutes west longitude. More detailed information is provided in the wreckage description section of this factual report.

A witness to the accident stated that he happened to look up shortly before the two aircraft collided. He reported that both aircraft appeared to be in straight and level flight prior to the impact. He noted that after the collision the Lancair entered an inverted, "slow flat" spin. The Cessna entered a "cartwheel type spin."

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The Lancair pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land airplane rating. He was issued a third-class airman medical certificate with a limitation for corrective lenses on July 9, 2004. He also held an experimental aircraft builder repairman certificate for N235U.

Review of the Lancair pilot's logbook determined that he had logged 500.8 hours total flight time as of the last log entry, which was dated September 18, 2005. He had logged 5.4 hours within the 30 days preceding the accident and 26.4 hours within 90 days of the accident. His logbook reflected approximately 421 flight hours in the accident airplane. The most recent flight review endorsement in the logbook was dated March 14, 2002.

The pilot-rated passenger on-board the Lancair held an airline transport pilot certificate with single and multi-engine land airplane class ratings, and a Learjet type rating. His single-engine rating was limited to commercial pilot privileges. He held a flight instructor certificate with single and multi-engine airplane, and instrument airplane ratings. He was issued a first-class airman medical certificate on February 1, 2005, with no limitations.

The Cessna flight crew consisted of a flight instructor and a dual student. The flight instructor held a commercial pilot certificate with single and multi-engine airplane, and instrument airplane ratings. He held a flight instructor certificate, issued on June 21, 2005, with single and multi-engine airplane, and instrument airplane ratings. He was issued a first-class airman medical certificate with no limitations on July 6, 2005.

Review of the instructor's logbook revealed he had completed the practical test for a multi-engine flight instructor rating on January 27, 2005, and the practical test for an instrument airplane flight instructor rating on January 28, 2005. The logbook indicated that he successfully completed a Part 141 proficiency check on July 6, 2005. He had a total logged flight time of 1,632 hours, with 712 hours of flight instruction given. He had logged 308 hours within the previous 90 days, and 6 hours within the previous 24 hours of the accident.

The dual student held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land airplane rating issued on August 10, 2005. He was issued a third-class airman medical certificate on July 2, 2004, with a limitation that corrective lenses be worn. He had a total logged flight time of 93.7 hours. According to flight school records, the dual student was enrolled in a training course in preparation for the instrument airplane practical test. The record noted that he had completed 15.5 hours of instrument flight training.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

LANCAIR N235U

The Lancair, N235U (serial number 001), was an amateur-built airplane constructed and owned by the accident pilot. The airplane was a single-engine, low-wing configuration with retractable tricycle landing gear. It was constructed primarily of composite (fiberglass) materials. The Lancair manual listed the airspeed normal operating range as 61 - 165 knots. The published never exceed speed was 215 knots.

The aircraft was issued an experimental airworthiness certificate on November 1, 2001. A conditional inspection was completed on December 28, 2004, at 364.7 hours. According to the aircraft logbook, Lancair N235U had accumulated 443.3 hours at the time of the most recent maintenance, which was conducted on September 23, 2005. The maintenance conducted included replacement of the engine spark plugs and the main landing gear tires.

An internet posting by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) stated that the builder of Lancair N235U, who was the accident pilot, was credited for outstanding workmanship in the category of custom-built kit airplanes at the EAA's Air Venture 2002 convention. The posting stated that the awards were intended to "signify excellence in construction and restoration."

CESSNA N7768G

The Cessna 172L, N7768G (serial number 17259468), was owned by Hobart Aviation Inc. and operated by American Winds Flight Academy as a training/rental aircraft. The Cessna 172L was a single-engine, high-wing configuration with fixed tricycle landing gear. The aircraft owner's manual stated that the cruise airspeed at 2,500 feet density altitude was 129 mph (112 knots) at 79-percent engine power. The published top speed was 140 mph (122 knots).

According to the aircraft logbooks, an annual inspection was completed on the accident airplane on August 23, 2005, at 4,424.5 hours total time. A 100-hour inspection was completed on September 27, 2005, at 4,519.1 hours total time.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Conditions recorded at the Akron-Canton Regional Airport (CAK), at 1351, were: Wind from 220 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 3,800 feet above ground level (agl) and broken clouds at 25,000 feet agl, temperature 18 degrees Celsius, dew point 11 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 30.06 inches of mercury. CAK was located approximately 15 nautical miles southwest of the accident site.

Conditions recorded by the Akron Fulton International Airport (AKR) Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), at 1354, were: Wind calm, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 3,800 feet agl, temperature 19 degrees Celsius, dew point 10 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 30.05 inches of mercury. AKR was located approximately 12 nautical miles west-southwest of the accident site.

Conditions recorded at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (YNG), at 1351, were: Wind variable at 5 knots, visibility 8 statute miles, broken clouds at 3,500 feet agl and broken clouds at 5,000 feet agl, temperature 19 degrees Celsius, dew point 10 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 30.06 inches of mercury. YNG was located approximately 25 nautical miles northwest of the accident site.

Winds aloft measurements (atmospheric soundings) are taken at 12-hour intervals at several locations throughout the continental United States. ...