N193MW

Substantial
None

MICHAEL WILSON MURPHY SPIRITS/N: 0193

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, April 26, 2015
NTSB Number
CEN15LA252
Location
Livingston, TX
Event ID
20150529X50010
Coordinates
30.685832, -95.018058
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which increased the induced drag and led to the engine having insufficient power to overcome the drag and climb the airplane and resulted in a forced landing and the subsequent collapse of the main landing gear.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N193MW
Make
MICHAEL WILSON
Serial Number
0193
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Model / ICAO
MURPHY SPIRITSBM3
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
WILSON MICHAEL T
Address
3131 VILLA LN
Status
Deregistered
City
MISSOURI CITY
State / Zip Code
TX 77459-4124
Country
United States

Analysis

On April 26, 2015, about 1000 central standard time, an amateur-built Murphy Rebel airplane, N193MW, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after takeoff from runway 12 at the Livingston Municipal Airport, Livingston, Texas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane's fuselage and right lower wing received damage. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operating on a flight plan. The local flight originated just prior to the accident.

The pilot reported that during a high-speed taxi test on runway 12, the amateur-built airplane unexpectedly became airborne. He elected to continue flight rather than risk an overrun while attempting to stop on the remaining runway. He reported that the airplane and engine performed as expected, but he experienced a "loss of lift" while crossing trees northeast of the runway. The pilot applied forward stick and attempted to land in a field parallel to runway 30. The tailwheel equipped airplane's main landing gear collapsed during the landing and the airplane incurred substantial damage to the fuselage and right lower wing. The pilot report indicated that the airplane was powered by a converted Subaru E-81 automobile engine that could produce 105 horsepower. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the airplane.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN15LA252