Wsk Pzl Mielec M18A accident near Kinston, NC
On May 11, 1996, a Wsk Pzl Mielec M18A (airplane) was involved in an accident near Kinston, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 11, 1996
- Place
- Kinston, NC
- Aircraft
- Wsk Pzl Mielec M18A · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.269°N, 77.591°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X05829
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 11, 1996, about 1244 eastern daylight time, a WSK PZL Mielec M18A, N2065K, registered to and operated by the State of North Carolina Division of Forest Services as flight bomber 4, crashed into a wheat field shortly after takeoff from the Kinston Regional Jetport at Stallings Field, Kinston, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the public-use flight. The airplane was destroyed by impact and a postcrash fire and the commercial-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The flight originated about 2 minutes earlier. The individual who loaded the fire retardant into the hopper tank of the airplane reported that while loading the retardant, the pilot had the engine operating at an above idle position. He motioned for the pilot to reduce the rpm, and the pilot complied. Then during the loading, he had to ask the pilot how much [retardant] he wanted, to which the pilot responded 550 or 500 [gallons], whatever. The loader stated that when he observed the retardant go out of the sight glass which is 550 gallons, he turned the pump off but not before he observed foam come out of the other side of the airplane. The individual also stated that the pilot did not appear to be himself because he had to ask the pilot what quantity of retardant he wanted. Review of Air Traffic Control communications revealed that the time interval between the pilot acknowledging the taxi clearance and takeoff clearance was determined to be about 4 minutes 33 seconds. About 2 minutes 38 seconds after the pi
Probable cause
a cracked/fractured #5 cylinder and subsequent failure/jamming of the #5 exhaust valve, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power; and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain. Factors related to the accident were: the excessive gross weight of the airplane, the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane, and pilot impai
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Browse: North Carolina · Wsk Pzl Mielec aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
