Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 21, 2012, about 1358 mountain standard time, a Brian P. North RAF SE5A replica experimental airplane, N17SE, owned by the pilot, was substantially damaged after impacting terrain near Watkins, Colorado. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed Front Range Airport (FTG), Denver, Colorado, about 1355.

While departing from Runway 26 at FTG, witnesses noticed the airplane climbing at a slow rate. On the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, witnesses noticed the airplane attempting to climb with a high pitch attitude. The pilot requested to return for a full stop landing from the air traffic control tower, due to “climb performance”. Witnesses observed the airplane enter a spiral descent while approaching the turn to base point of the pattern. The airplane impacted in a fallowed wheat field about 0.7 miles north of the Runway 26 threshold, and a post impact fire ensued.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 72, held a private pilot (foreign based) certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. On May 3, 1999, the pilot was issued a Class 3 limited medical (foreign based) certificate, which required corrective lenses be worn. A review of records indicates the pilot had flown a total of 491 hours and 7 hours in the accident airplane. A friend of the pilot, who assisted with preflight actions on the day of the accident, stated that the pilot was in good health, both physically and mentally.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident airplane was initially assembled by the pilot in the United Kingdom in 2008. After shipping the airplane to the United States and reassembling at FTG, an airworthiness certificate was issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on May 17, 2012. Prior to the accident, the airplane flew four times at FTG, twice by the pilot and twice by his friend. The airplane had accumulated a total of 12 hours prior to the accident.

The airplane was equipped with a 100-horsepower Continental Motors O-200A engine. The engine had accumulated 1,523 hours prior to being installed on the airplane and 12 hours after installation.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The weather observing station at FTG reported the following conditions at 1350: wind 140 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 50 miles, clear skies, temperature 22 degrees Celsius, dew point minus 10 degrees Celsius, altimeter setting 29.95. Calculated density altitude for these conditions was 7,567 feet.

During the four previous flights at FTG, calculated density altitude ranged from about 6,400 to 6,900 feet. The friend of the pilot, who piloted two of these four flights, stated that climb performance during these previous flights was satisfactory, with a climb rate between 400 and 450 feet per minute.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIO