Hermann Bjorn LANCAIR IV accident near Duluth, MN

On June 7, 2014, a Hermann Bjorn LANCAIR IV (airplane) was involved in an accident near Duluth, MN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

June 7, 2014

Place

Duluth, MN

Aircraft

Hermann Bjorn LANCAIR IV · Airplane

Injuries

1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

46.882°N, 91.919°W

NTSB ID

20140609X83225

Official records · CEN14FA278

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• FAA ATC Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• FAA ATC Controller Statements: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 7, 2014, about 1121 central daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built, Hermann Bjorn Lancair IV, N86NW, was destroyed when it impacted Lake Superior after departing from the Duluth International Airport (DLH), Duluth, Minnesota. The pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to A.O. Engineering Inc. and operated by the pilot under the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The airplane departed DLH about 1116, and was en route to Goose Bay (YYR), Newfoundland, Canada. The DLH air traffic control (ATC) transcript of the recorded radio conversations between ATC and the pilot indicated that the tower controller cleared the airplane to depart runway 9 and climb to 6,000 ft on a heading of 060 degrees. At 1117:24, the pilot contacted departure control. Departure control instructed the pilot to turn left and fly direct to Thunder Bay (YQT), and climb and maintain 12,000 ft. The pilot did not acknowledge this instruction. At 1117:25, the radar track data indicated the airplane was heading northeast at 4,467 ft at an airspeed of 131kts. At 1118:00, departure control stated, "November 86 November Whiskey turn left fly heading 030 please." The pilot responded, "November Whisky left turn. Sorry about that." At 1118:03, the radar track data indicated the airplane was heading to the southeast at 4,689 ft at an airspeed of 167 kts. At 1118:31, departure control st

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while operating in instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions, which was due to spatial disorientation resulting from erroneous heading and bank angle information shown on the primary flight display. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's impairment due to diphenhydramine and his improper decision to operate in IFR conditions with the airplane

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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.