1 fatal · ARTHUR B CANNING MERLIN LITE · 2024-04-02 · Mulberry, FL, USA
Event
NTSB number
ERA24FA160
Event ID
20240402194019
Type
Accident
Date
2024-04-02
Location
Mulberry, FL, USA
Coordinates
27.931275, -82.041907
Injuries
Highest injury
FATL
Fatal
1
Serious
0
Minor
0
Uninjured
0
Total aboard
1
Aircraft
Make
ARTHUR B CANNING
Model
MERLIN LITE
Registration
N622PC
FAR Part
091
Engines
1
Damage
SUBS
Conditions
Light
DAYL
Weather
VMC
Probable cause
The pilot/builder’s modifications of the motorglider’s engine, which resulted in an excessively lean fuel air mixture, preignition, piston failure, and a subsequent total loss of engine power during the initial climb. Contributing to the outcome was the pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed and his exceedance of the motorglider’s critical angle of attack following the loss of engine power, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin at an altitude too low to recover.