ARFF Daily News

Monday the 24th of March, 2025

Pilot witnessed deadly plane crash at Florida airport: 'An impact that no one could have survived'

By Hannah Mackenzie

ZELLWOOD, Fla. - A man in his 70s died on Saturday after the experimental plane he was piloting crashed shortly after he took off from a small airport northwest of Orlando, according to the FAA and NTSB. 

The plane crashed around 9:30 a.m. after departing Bob White Field Airport in Zellwood, Florida, northwest of Orlando and south of Mt. Dora, according to Orange County Fire Rescue.

FOX 35 spoke with a man who said he saw the plane takeoff and crash – and was one of the first to reach the plane.

"An impact that no one could have survived"

Gary English was at the airport with his daughter on Saturday. He said it appeared to be a normal takeoff - until it wasn't.

"It looked like a normal take-off. The plane was running good. We waved, and he waved, and we turned around," English said.

Moments later, he said, the single-engine Aero AT-4 light sport aircraft crashed into the ground, igniting an explosion.

"It was an impact that no one could have survived, so we dialed 911," he said.

"The airplane hit, almost going vertical. It hit, and it flipped over."

Gary and his daughter ran to the plane. English said he began recording to potentially assist the FAA and NTSB in determining what happened. 

He said the pilot, who has not yet been identified by authorities, was found 15 or 20 feet away from the aircraft.

Investigations launched

Both the FAA and the NTSB confirmed they would open investigations, and that the NTSB would be the lead agency in determining what happened. 

An NTSB investigator was expected to be at the crash site on Sunday.

"Once on site, the investigator will begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft. The aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation," the NTSB said in a statement. The NTSB's investigation would focus on the pilot, the aircraft, and environmental factors, a spokesperson said.

"Aviation; it's not inherently dangerous, but it can be," said English. "And something like this brings it home, especially when it's your home airport."

"I just hope his family can, you know, be at rest of this," he said.

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/pilot-witnessed-deadly-plane-crash-florida-airport-an-impact-no-one-could-have-survived

NTSB Final Report: Temco D-16A

Pilot’s Mismanagement Of The Fuel Supply, Which Resulted In A Loss Of Engine Power On The Left Engine

Location: Clarksville, Arkansas Accident Number: CEN24LA151
Date & Time: April 8, 2024, 14:10 Local Registration: N131N
Aircraft: Temco D-16A Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel starvation Injuries: 4 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis: The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff in the twin-engine airplane the left engine stopped producing power. The airplane rolled left and impacted trees which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings.

The airplane was equipped with five fuel tanks: left and right nacelle tanks, left and right tip tanks, and one main fuel tank. The fuel tanks were drained after the accident and the left nacelle was empty. The right nacelle had negligible fuel. The main fuel tank contained 27 gallons, and the left tip tank contained 13 gallons. The right tip tank was compromised. The right fuel selector valve was found set to the right nacelle tank, and the left fuel selector valve was set to the left nacelle tank. The pilot stated that he thought the fuel selector valves were set to the main tank; however, he also stated that it was possible that he had the nacelle fuel tanks selected. The main tank position is 180 degrees from the nacelle tank position, and the two positions were easy to confuse. Given the as-found state of the selector, he likely had the left and right nacelle fuel tanks selected.

A small leak was discovered on the upper portion of the left nacelle fuel tank’s bladder, but it was in a location that would not have accounted for the tank being found totally empty. When fuel was added to the airplane, the left engine was started and operated normally. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the left engine’s loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The pilot’s mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in a loss of engine power on the left engine due to fuel starvation.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

NTSB Prelim: De Havilland DHC-1

At Altitude Of About 250-300 Ft AGL, The Airplane Experienced A Total Loss Of Engine Power

Location: East Troy, WI Accident Number: CEN25LA035
Date & Time: November 6, 2024, 15:55 Local Registration: N420TD
Aircraft: De Havilland DHC-1 Injuries: 1 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On November 6, 2024, at 1600 central standard time, a De Havilland DHC-1, N420TD, was involved in an accident near East Troy, Wisconsin. The airplane sustained substantial damage.

The private pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot stated that during preflight of the airplane for the personal flight, there was 3 gal of fuel in the left wing tank and 4 gal of fuel in the right wing tank. 

He stated the airplane had a fuel capacity of 9 gal in each wing tank. He departed and performed one touch and go landing at the departure airport and then flew about 3 mi west where he performed two steep turns. He stated that during the flight’s return to the departure airport, the left wing tank fuel gauge indicated 2 gal and the right wing tank fuel gauge indicated 3 gal while the airplane was on the downwind leg for landing. 

About ½ way down the final approach leg for landing and at altitude of about 250-300 ft agl, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot changed the fuel tank selection, but the engine did not regain power. The pilot performed a forced landing and landed about 300-400 ft short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing fuel tank contained no fuel and the right wing fuel tank contained an estimated 2/3 gal of fuel. There was no fuel within the fuel system downstream of the wing fuel tanks.

The airplane was retained for further examination.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

NTSB Final Report: Quicksilver GT

About 100 Ft Above Ground Level, The Engine Exhibited A Reduction In Power To Idle RPM

Location: Garden Ridge, Texas Accident Number: CEN25LA009
Date & Time: October 8, 2024, 10:55 Local Registration: N2490H
Aircraft: Quicksilver GT 400 Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel starvation Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis: The pilot had recently performed maintenance to the engine carburetor and fuel lines, then completed multiple full-power engine tests before the accident flight. The preflight and engine run-up before takeoff were normal and no anomalies were noted. During the takeoff roll, the engine achieved full rpm. About 100 ft above ground level, the engine exhibited a reduction in power to idle rpm. Due to a stationary train car parked on a railroad track in his forward flight path, the pilot executed a low altitude right turn. During the turn, the pilot was unable to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the outlet fuel pump line was found to have an improperly sized clamp, the line was cracked, and fuel was leaking from the fuel pump line to the carburetor. No other mechanical issues were noted with the airplane or engine. Based on the fuel system evidence, it was likely the partial loss of engine power resulted from fuel starvation due to the improper maintenance of the fuel system.

Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- A loss of engine power that resulted from improper fuel system maintenance and the subsequent fuel starvation due to the leaking fuel pump outlet fuel line. 

FMI: www.ntsb.gov

Today in History

10 Years ago today: On 24 March 2015 Germanwings flight 9525, an Airbus A320, was intentionally crashed in a mountainous area in southern France by the first officer. All 144 passengers and six crew members were killed.

Date: Tuesday 24 March 2015

Time: 10:41

Type: Airbus A320-211

Owner/operator: Germanwings

Registration: D-AIPX

MSN: 147

Year of manufacture: 1990

Total airframe hrs: 58313 hours

Cycles: 46748 flights

Engine model: CFMI CFM56-5A1

Fatalities: Fatalities: 150 / Occupants: 150

Other fatalities: 0

Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off

Category: Unlawful Interference

Location: Prads-Haute-Bléone -   France

Phase: En route

Nature: Passenger - Scheduled

Departure airport: Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (BCN/LEBL)

Destination airport: Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS/EDDL)

Investigating agency: BEA

Confidence Rating:  Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:

Germanwings flight 9525, an Airbus A320, was intentionally crashed in a mountainous area in southern France by the first officer. All 144 passengers and six crew members were killed.

Flight 4U9525 departed Barcelona, Spain at 10:00 hours local time (09:00 UTC) on a regular passenger service to Düsseldorf, Germany. The flight reached its cruising altitude of FL380 at 10:27 hours. At 10:30 hours the flight was cleared direct to the IRMAR waypoint, which was confirmed by the flight: "Direct IRMAR, Merci 18G." This was the last radio contact with the flight.

At 10:30:08, the captain told the co-pilot that he was leaving the cockpit and asked him to take over radio communications, which the co-pilot acknowledged.

At 10:30:53, the selected altitude on the Flight Control Unit (FCU) changed in from 38,000 ft to 100 ft. One second later, the autopilot changed to OPEN DES mode and autothrust changed to THR IDLE mode. The airplane started to descend and both engines' speed decreased.

At 10:33:12, the speed management changed from managed mode to selected mode. One second later, the selected target speed became 308 kt while the aeroplane's speed was 273 kt. The aeroplane's speed started to increase along with the descent rate, which subsequently varied between 1,700 ft/min and 5,000 ft/min, then was on average about 3,500 ft/min.

The selected speed decreased to 288 kt. Then, over the following 13 seconds, the value of this target speed changed six times until it reached 302 kt.

At 10:33:47, the controller asked the flight crew what cruise level they were cleared for. The airplane was then at an altitude of 30,000 ft in descent. There was no answer from the co-pilot. Over the following 30 seconds, the controller tried to contact the flight crew again on two occasions, without any answer.

Thereafter the selected speed increased up to 323 kt. Then the buzzer to request access to the cockpit sounded, but the copilot did not react.

Marseille control centre kept attempting to contact the flight, without any response.

The selected speed was again increased, this time to 350 kt. Meanwhile the captain attempted to call the copilot over the interphone and there were noises similar to a person knocking on the cockpit door.

At the same time Marseille control and a controller from the French Air Defence system called the flight at various frequencies, without success.

As the aircraft kept descending noises similar to violent blows on the cockpit door were recorded on five occasions between 10:39:30 and 10:40:28.

The GPWS then sounded: "Terrain, Terrain, Pull Up, Pull Up" until the aircraft impacted a sloping rocky ravine in mountainous terrain at an elevation of 1550 meters.

Causes:

The collision with the ground was due to the deliberate and planned action of the co-pilot who decided to commit suicide while alone in the cockpit. The process for medical certification of pilots, in particular self-reporting in case of decrease in medical fitness between two periodic medical evaluations, did not succeed in preventing the co-pilot, who was experiencing mental disorder with psychotic symptoms, from exercising the privilege of his licence.

The following factors may have contributed to the failure of this principle:

- the co-pilot's probable fear of losing his ability to fly as a professional pilot if he had reported his decrease in medical fitness to an AME;

- the potential financial consequences generated by the lack of specific insurance covering the risks of loss of income in case of unfitness to fly;

- the lack of clear guidelines in German regulations on when a threat to public safety outweighs the requirements of medical confidentiality.

Security requirements led to cockpit doors designed to resist forcible intrusion by unauthorized persons. This made it impossible to enter the flight compartment before the aircraft impacted the terrain in the French Alps.

METAR:

08:30 UTC / 09:30 local time:

LEBL 240830Z 05012KT 9000 -RA FEW020 SCT027 BKN045 12/10 Q1006 NOSIG

09:00 UTC / 10:00 local time:

LEBL 240900Z 05016KT 9999 FEW020 BKN045 12/10 Q1006 RERA NOSIG

Barcelona Airport weather during takeoff: Wind 050 degrees at 16 knots; 10+ km visibility; few clouds at 2000 feet; broken clouds at 4500 feet; 12°C; dew point 10°C; Recent moderate/heavy rain

09:30 UTC / 10:30 local time:

LFML 240930Z 24006KT CAVOK 15/09 Q1008 NOSIG

Marseille Airport weather: wind 240 degrees at 6 knots; 15°C, dew point 9°; CAVOK

09:30 UTC / 10:30 local time:

LEBL 240930Z 05015KT 8000 -RA FEW020 BKN045 13/11 Q1006 NOSIG

10:00 UTC / 11:00 local time:

LFML 241000Z 27005KT 9999 FEW033 BKN210 16/08 Q1008 NOSIG