ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 253949
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Sunday 25 April 2021 |
| Time: | 07:42 |
| Type: |  Aeropro CZ Aerotrek A240 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N417R |
| MSN: | 29309 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2009 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 827 hours |
| Engine model: | Rotax 912ULS |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Richmond Municipal Airport (RID/KRID), IN -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Richmond Airport, IN (RID/KRID) |
| Festus Airport, MO (FES) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On April 25, 2021, at 0742 eastern daylight time, an Aeropro CZ A240 light sport airplane, N417R, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Richmond, Indiana. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot obtained a weather briefing and filed a visual flight rules flight plan a few minutes before takeoff. An AIRMET advisory for instrument flight rules conditions was in effect, and the weather at the airport about the time of the accident included a cloud ceiling of 200 ft above ground level and 1/2-mile visibility in fog.
After takeoff, the airplane entered a climbing right turn and reached an altitude of approximately 2,045 ft with a right bank angle of about 40°. The airplane continued in a right turn and began to descend; its bank angle ultimately reached about 90°, and the average descent rate during the final portion of the flight was about 2,041 ft per minute.
The airplane impacted an open field about 1/2 mile south-southwest of the airport and was destroyed by a postimpact fire. Postaccident airframe and engine exams did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction; however, the examinations were limited by the extent of the post-impact fire.
The pilot held a student pilot certificate, and he did not hold a medical certificate. Autopsy findings and health information revealed that the pilot had an enlarged heart, high blood pressure, severe coronary artery disease, and a history of five-vessel coronary artery bypass surgery. While the pilot’s cardiovascular disease placed him at an increased risk for a sudden cardiac event, given the circumstances of this crash, it is unlikely that sudden incapacitation from the pilot’s cardiovascular disease was a factor in this accident.
Postmortem toxicology testing detected gabapentin prescribed for chronic nerve pain and duloxetine prescribed for general anxiety. Both medications are impairing especially when first prescribed or with dosage adjustments. It is unknown how long the pilot was taking these medications and whether any side effects had been experienced; however, it is unlikely that effects from the pilot’s use of duloxetine and gabapentin were factors in the accident.
The low visibility conditions at the time of the accident and the pilot’s lack of training in instrument flight were conducive to the development of spatial disorientation, and the airplane’s flight track after takeoff was consistent with the known effects of spatial disorientation. It is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation after takeoff into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control.
Probable Cause: The noninstrument-rated pilot’s intentional flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and loss of airplane control.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://eu.pal-item.com/story/news/local/2021/04/25/richmond-indiana-pilot-dies-crash-after-sunday-morning-takeoff/7375220002/
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana/articles/2021-04-25/police-pilot-dies-in-small-eastern-indiana-plane-crash
https://www.wane.com/top-stories/1-dead-after-plane-crash-near-richmond-indiana/
https://fox59.com/news/1-dead-after-plane-crash-near-richmond/
https://wpta21.com/2021/04/25/police-pilot-dies-in-small-eastern-indiana-plane-crash/
NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N417R
https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/abpic-media-eu-production/pictures/full_size_0153/1231316-large.jpg (photo)
Location
Images:
Photos: NTSB
Media:
The NTSB is investigating the crash Sunday of an Aeropro CZ A240 in Richmond, Indiana. The NTSB is not traveling to the scene at this time.
— NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) April 25, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Apr-2021 14:50 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 25-Apr-2021 15:42 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Source, Damage] |
| 25-Apr-2021 17:04 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-Apr-2021 20:08 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source, Narrative] |
| 25-Apr-2021 21:51 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 19-Aug-2022 21:44 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Location, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, Accident report, Photo] |
| 19-Aug-2022 21:45 | Captain Adam | Updated [Photo] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation