Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn November 27, 2013, about 1150 central daylight time, a Biesemeier manufactured Smyth Sidwinder experimental homebuilt airplane, N3786A, registered to the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain after an in-flight separation of it's left wing while maneuvering over a rural area near Boulder, Colorado. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated about 1130 from the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), and it's intended destination was Loveland, Colorado.

During examination on site, the airplane's fuselage was found in a creek bed. The left wing of the airplane was located about 1/3 of a mile from the main wreckage. The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility in Greeley, Colorado for further examination.

Radar data showed a normal departure and climbout from Rocky Mountain Airport during the first 15 minutes of flight, until a sudden turn and rapid descent. A witness in the area reported that he heard a loud sound, looked up, and saw the airplane falling out of the sky. Another witness reported that there were flocks of migrating birds in the area about the time of the accident. No radio calls or distress transmissions were reported from the pilot.

When the NTSB investigator arrived on-scene later in the day, he observed flocks of migrating birds in the area. Recovery of the airplane wreckage was accomplished on the day after the accident. Flocks of migrating birds were observed on that day as well. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot held a valid FAA Private Pilot certificate with an Airplane Single Engine Land rating. He also held a valid FAA Mechanic Airframe & Powerplant certificate. His total flight experience, as reported on his most recent FAA medical application, was about 1,977 hours. The FAA issued the pilot a Third Class Medical Certificate on June 4, 2013. The certificate had an annotation that the pilot "must wear corrective lenses." No pilot logbooks were located during the investigation. According to an associate of the pilot, he had about 900 hours in the accident airplane and flew it about once a week. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe pilot had built and owned the airplane since 1981. The airplane was issued its Experimental Amateur-Built airworthiness certificate on April 7, 1982. Build records that were provided exhibited detail and all maintenance logs were current and up to date. The two seat (side-by-side) airplane was powered by a Lycoming O-360 series reciprocating engine.

Documentation found with the maintenance logs showed that the Sidewinder design was conceived in the mid 1960s by a formal Naval fighter pilot. Contemporaries of the Sidewinder would be airplanes such as the Tailwind, T-18, Cavalier, and Mustang II. Its attributes included; fighter-like c