Accident Maxair Drifter XP-503 N65DF, Monday 4 July 1988
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Date:Monday 4 July 1988
Time:19:50
Type:Maxair Drifter XP-503
Owner/operator:Maxair Aircraft
Registration: N65DF
MSN: DR 0365
Total airframe hrs:43 hours
Engine model:ROTAX 532LC
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Lake Wales, FL -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE OWNER RPRTD THE PLT FLEW THE ACFT AT A COMPANY PICNIC WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION. COMPANY PSNL SAW THE EXPERIMENTAL, AMATEUR BUILT ACFT TAKEOFF FROM THE COMPANY STRIP, THEN MANEUVER FOR A LOW PASS OVER THE AREA AT ABOUT 150 TO 200 FT AGL. SOME ESTIMATED THE PASS WAS MADE WITH A SPEED IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH. THE NEVER EXCEED (VNE) SPEED FOR THE ACFT WAS 95 MPH. AS THE ACFT APCHD THE AREA OF THE PICNIC, WITNESSES HEARD A BUZZING OR FLUTTERING SOUND. AS IT CONTINUED OVERHEAD, WITNESSES NOTED THE LEFT AILERON HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE OUTBOARD END & HAD FOLDED AFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RGT AILERON FAILED IN A SIMILAR MANNER. THE ACFT ENTERED A CLIMB & SOME WITNESSES NOTED A POWER REDUCTION AS IF THE PLT WAS TRYING TO SLOW THE ACFT. HOWEVER, THE ACFT ROLLED & ENTERED A DSCNT WHICH WAS DESCRIBED AS A STALL/SPIN CONDITION. RPRTDLY, THE PLT WAS AWARE OF THE ACFT'S TENDENCY TO ENCTR AILERON BUZZ OR FLUTTER WHEN ACCELERATED ABOVE 100 MPH. CAUSE:

Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: MIA88FA213
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X26294

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:23 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ]

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