Experimenter

March 2013

Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.

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The operator's accident report, in part, stated: This experimental airplane was involved in the initial phases of flight testing. Flying qualities, stability, and control, and performance were being tested. Depending on the weather conditions test points were selected from a flight test matrix. The pilots, always two in the aircraft, would brief the flight, fly the test points, and document the results. Depending on how well the test conditions were met the pilots would show that test point as complete and select another test to fly. The morning of the accident the pilots brief was not attended by any other person; exactly what points they were testing is not known. According to statements given by witnesses in the area, the airplane's engine sounded like its rpm varied. The airplane was observed to be flying slow and to bank to the left and right. One witness reported that the airplane spiraled downward. … Figure 3—Te forward fracture surface of the failed forward weld on the lef side propeller shaf tube, as received. Tis is the mating side of Figure 2. Aircraft Information N453WB, Serial Number 002, was a plans-built antique replica Wright B Flyer experimental amateur-built airplane. According to the builder's website, the airplane had modern airfoils, conventional ailerons, steel tube structure, and modern aircraft fabric. A four-cylinder, 205-hp Lycoming HIO-360C1B engine, with Serial Number L-13374-51A, powered the airplane. The airplane was equipped with two chain-driven, counter-rotating, two-blade Sensenich pusher propellers. The airplane had seating for two occupants. The airplane was equipped with dual controls. The airplane had a wingspan of 33 feet 6 inches, a height of 7 feet 8 inches, and a length of 26 feet. The airplane's empty weight was 1,876 pounds, and its gross weight was 2,650 pounds. The demonstrated takeoff speed was listed as 55 mph. The airplane had accumulated 58 hours of total time at the time of the accident and had accumulated 28.8 hours of Phase I flight time. … Figure 4—Te fractured forward weld of the right side propeller shaf tube assembly, showing (a) a side with complete fracture and (b) the small section still intact. Communications According to a pilot flying inbound to SGH, he made a position report on the SGH common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), and a pilot representing the Wright B Flyer answered back on the CTAF indicating the Wright B Flyer was in a racetrack pattern at 3,100 feet above mean sea level about three to four miles south of SGH making east-west circuits. The inbound pilot practiced a touch-and-go at SGH and subsequently heard a call that indicated the Wright B Flyer was landing in a field five miles north of SGH. He said the pilot sounded calm. He asked the Wright B Flyer if he could be of any assistance and got no reply. He then heard two garbled transmissions that said something about a "chase car." He flew three to seven miles north of SGH to look for the aircraft based on the radio call. Figure 5—Te af weld of the lef propeller shaf, as received, showing a visible crack along the weld line. EAA Experimenter 31

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