Wolf SMITH M/P DSA-1 accident near Bend, OR

On June 20, 1997, a Wolf SMITH M/P DSA-1 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Bend, OR. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

June 20, 1997

Place

Bend, OR

Aircraft

Wolf SMITH M/P DSA-1 · Airplane

Injuries

1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

44.070°N, 121.249°W

NTSB ID

20001208X08263

NTSB summary

On June 20, 1997, approximately 1519 Pacific daylight time, an experimental-category Wolf Smith Miniplane DSA-1, N168RW, collided with terrain approximately 1/4 mile northeast of the runway at the Bend, Oregon airport. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire, and the airline transport pilot of the single-seat biplane was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed for the 14 CFR 91 flight which had departed from Bend. Witnesses reported that the aircraft took off on Bend runway 16 and circled the airport in a counterclockwise direction for several minutes. The airplane was then observed to maneuver for a position resembling a right base for runway 16, although the normal airport traffic flow for that runway is to the left. The witnesses reported that the airplane subsequently flew to the east of the runway extended centerline, and that the aircraft then entered an abrupt descent (with some witnesses reporting the aircraft going inverted) after initiating a sharp turn between approximately 50 and 100 feet above ground level. The aircraft was observed to continue in this descent until ground impact. One witness, who observed the accident sequence as the pilot of a Beech Bonanza aircraft waiting in the runway 16 approach-end runup area, stated that he observed the accident airplane turn from right base to final, and that he noted once it was established on final that its propeller was stopped. This witness stated that at that same time, another aircraft was starting its takeoff roll in the opposite direc

Probable cause

An inflight propeller blade separation, and a subsequent evasive turn to avoid traffic by the pilot at an inadequate airspeed resulting in an accelerated stall. Factors were excessive power output of the installed engine, an aircraft taking off in the opposite direction of the landing runway, and the aircraft's low altitude at the time of the stall.

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.