AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2015 - 75

In a highly modified kit aircraft, the "box of
chocolates" theory is in play-you're never
quite sure what you might get.
high-horsepower engine and did
not have enough rudder authority to compensate for the P-factor
at full power. He noted that having fuel in the baggage area [the aft
fuel tank] greatly affects the airplane's center of gravity, and the
airplane will be extremely sensitive in pitch."
The NTSB found no evidence
of preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have
precluded normal operation.
NTSB FINDINGS

"The National Transportation
Safety Board determines the
probable cause(s) of this accident
as follows: A loss or commanded
reduction of engine power during
the initial climb for reasons that
could not be determined because
of post-accident impact damage and fire destruction to engine
systems and components. Also
causal were the pilot's failure to
maintain adequate airspeed and
airplane control while attempting
to return to the runway despite
unpopulated, flat terrain immediately ahead that was suitable for an
emergency landing; his decision to
take off again with a known problem; and his lack of training in the
make and model airplane."
COMMENTARY

Engines are extremely reliable but
when they show any signs of indigestion it's best not to let wishful
thinking intrude. Flight data monitoring shows a fuel flow/power
fluctuation on both attempted
takeoffs. The cause was not discovered. Appleton correctly rejected
the first takeoff but apparently

thought that since he had resolved
a similar problem days before, it
was transient and could be dealt
with. Sometimes there aren't three
strikes but only one.
However, there is no evidence
of engine malfunction. The engine
could have been misbehaving-
or it could have been a power/
controllability factor at work.
Perhaps the pilot reduced power
in response to the aircraft's starting to become uncontrollable. In
certificated aircraft this is taken
into account, tested, and retested
to ensure that there is enough
aerodynamic control and time to
sort through things. In a highly
modified kit aircraft, the "box of
chocolates" theory is in play-
you're never quite sure what you
might get.
Rejecting a takeoff for any
reason, once airborne, is one of
aviation's biggest challenges:
there's not much altitude, airspeed, or time. There's a strong
natural tendency to turn back
to the airport, to safety, and yet
that may be lethal. It's called "the
impossible turn" but sometimes it
works-which is why pilots keep
trying (http://flash.aopa.org/asf/
pilotstories/impossibleturn).
Every aircraft has a maneuvering altitude below which
an attempt to return has much
higher risk than landing off airport. Be very careful in training
this maneuver. The record shows
too many stall/spin accidents
have resulted from training for
an unlikely event-possibly more
than from the event itself.
Aircraft design played a role
here, as well. The Lancair IV-PT

is one of the highest-performance
amateur-built machines out there.
As the NTSB experts noted, stall
recovery at low altitude takes at
least 1,500 feet. Experimental aircraft are not required to meet the
FAA's requirements relative to certificated wing performance. By
comparison the TBM 900, a certificated single-engine turboprop
with similar cruise performance,
will recover from stalls in several
hundred feet.
Wings are designed for different objectives. Some are gentle,
while others will bite if given the
opportunity. It's the difference
between a friendly house cat and
a hungry tiger. When flying with
tigers it's best to appreciate their
behavior-completely.
The Lancair Owners and
Builders Organization has an
active training program, as do
many type clubs. Despite whatever experience a pilot may have in
other models, it just makes sense to
invest time and money in learning
everything possible about a newto-you aircraft-especially one
with unique flight characteristics.
Steve Appleton was by any
measure a hugely successful risk
taker and accomplished pilot. We
need people like him to move society forward. But overachievers
must recognize that gravity and
physics are absolute and unforgiving-as are some aircraft. AOPA
Bruce Landsberg is an aviation
safety advisor for the AOPA Foundation and Air Safety Institute. He
is the former president of both.
WEB www.airsafetyinstitute.org
www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 75
http://flash.aopa.org/asf/pilotstories/impossibleturn/ http://flash.aopa.org/asf/pilotstories/impossibleturn/ http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org http://www.aopa.org/pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2015
