SR22 crash involved racecar driver

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/scca/33645/

--------------------------------------
DW

On Fri, 27 Oct 2006 13:39:10 -0400, "Darkwing"
theducksmail"AT"yahoo.com wrote in
:

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/scca/33645/

SPEED Touring Car Driver DeCastro Perishes In Plane Accident
Written by: SCCA Communications
Mohave County, Ariz. – 10/27/2006

Lucho DeCastro (SCCA photo)

SCCA Pro Racing SPEED Touring Car driver Lucho DeCastro (44), his
wife and two children were killed in a private plane crash
Wednesday in northwestern Arizona, the Associated Press reported
Thursday.

According to the AP report, Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal
Aviation Administration, said the single-engine plane crashed
about noon Wednesday about 60 miles east of Las Vegas after its
pilot reported icing on the plane's wings. ...
Gregor said the plane, a Cirrus SR-22, was on its way to Phoenix
from the San Francisco Bay Area. ...

The DeCastro family—Lucho, Laura (41), Nadia (7) and Trevor (4),
were reported as the only passengers.

------------------------------
From the tracks available he

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N...129Z/KMRY/KRNO
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N121LD
it would seem the late Mr. DeCastro was comfortable at 14,000' and
could hold a straight course line.

------------------------------

It would appear Mr. DeCastro was a qualified commercial rated pilot:

FAA's airmans database:
https://amsrvs.registry.faa.gov/airm...ry/default.asp

LUIZ REIS DE CASTRO
Address

Street RUA DR ALFREDO BARCELOS 310/201
City RIO DE JANEIRO State
County Zip Code
Country BRAZIL

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Medical

No Medical Available

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CertIficates

1 of 2

DOI : 12/10/1977
CertIficate: COMMERCIAL PILOT

Rating(s):

COMMERCIAL PILOT
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE

CertIficates

2 of 2

DOI : 03/02/1976
CertIficate: PRIVATE PILOT (FOREIGN BASED)

Rating(s):

PRIVATE PILOT (Foreign Based)
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND

Limits

ISSUED ON BASIS OF AND VALID ONLY WHEN ACCOMPANIED BY BRAZILIAN
PILOT LICENSE NR 23.338.

NOT VALID FOR AGRICULTURAL AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS.


-----------------------------

FAA Registry
N-Number Inquiry Results


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

N121LD is Assigned

Aircraft Description

Serial Number 1670 Type Registration Corporation
Manufacturer Name CIRRUS DESIGN CORP
Certificate Issue Date 03/17/2006
Model SR22 Status Valid
Type Aircraft Fixed Wing Single-Engine Type Engine Reciprocating
Pending Number Change None Dealer No
Date Change Authorized None Mode S Code 50054147
MFR Year 2005 Fractional Owner NO


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registered Owner

Name INNOVATIVE HOSPITALITY SYSTEMS LLC
Street 4901 IBERVILLE ST
City NEW ORLEANS State LOUISIANA Zip Code 70119-4333
County ORLEANS
Country UNITED STATES


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Airworthiness

Engine Manufacturer CONT MOTOR Classification Standard
Engine Model IO-550 SERIES Category Normal

A/W Date 11/07/2005


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other Owner Names

None

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Temporary Certificate

None

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fuel Modifications

None

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/public/...p_20050125.txt

NEW DOMESTIC FILINGS: 01/15/05 THRU 01/21/05 PAGE 1

DOMESTIC CHARTERS:

35860742K 01/20/2005 INNOVATIVE HOSPITALITY SYSTEMS, LLC 4901
IBERVILLE STREET NEW ORLEANS, LA 70119
Agent: LUIS DE CASTRO 4901 IBERVILLE STREET NEW ORLEANS, LA
70119
Member/Manager LUIS DE CASTRO, 4901 IBERVILLE STREET NEW
ORLEANS, LA 70119

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Oct 2006 13:39:10 -0400, "Darkwing"
theducksmail"AT"yahoo.com wrote in
:

http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/scca/33645/

SNIP

Awful deal. Looked like he was well qualified which only goes to show that
IMC in possible icing conditions is serious business.

---------------------------------------------
DW

"Darkwing" theducksmail"AT"yahoo.com wrote

Awful deal. Looked like he was well qualified which only goes to show that IMC
in possible icing conditions is serious business.

I've gotta wonder why he didn't use the parachute, or if he did, why it didn't
save him. I did not read if he did use the parachute, or not. Anyone know the
answer to that?
--
Jim in NC

"Morgans" wrote:

"Darkwing" theducksmail"AT"yahoo.com wrote

Awful deal. Looked like he was well qualified which only goes to show that IMC
in possible icing conditions is serious business.

I've gotta wonder why he didn't use the parachute, or if he did, why it didn't
save him. I did not read if he did use the parachute, or not. Anyone know the
answer to that?
--
Jim in NC

Maybe I am too dense but if icing conditions were forecast as likely
doesn't it make sense to AVOID the ice in the first place? The
parachute should not be a substitute for proper flight planning and
judgement.

Ron Lee

"Ron Lee" wrote in message
...
"Morgans" wrote:

"Darkwing" theducksmail"AT"yahoo.com wrote

Awful deal. Looked like he was well qualified which only goes to show
that IMC
in possible icing conditions is serious business.

I've gotta wonder why he didn't use the parachute, or if he did, why it
didn't
save him. I did not read if he did use the parachute, or not. Anyone
know the
answer to that?
--
Jim in NC

Maybe I am too dense but if icing conditions were forecast as likely
doesn't it make sense to AVOID the ice in the first place? The
parachute should not be a substitute for proper flight planning and
judgement.

Ron Lee

Therein lies the perceived problem with the Cirrus IMO. Launching into
possible adverse weather with the chute as backup.

------------------------------------------------
DW

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"Darkwing" theducksmail"AT"yahoo.com wrote

Awful deal. Looked like he was well qualified which only goes to show
that IMC in possible icing conditions is serious business.

I've gotta wonder why he didn't use the parachute, or if he did, why it
didn't save him. I did not read if he did use the parachute, or not.
Anyone know the answer to that?
--
Jim in NC

According to the SpeedTV article it was not known if the chute was used in
some capacity, my guess would be no.

----------------------------------------
DW

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...31X01585&key=1

____________________________________
Posted via Aviatorlive.com
http://www.aviatorlive.com

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...31X01585&key=1

____________________________________
Posted via Aviatorlive.com
http://www.aviatorlive.com

So it appears the pilot flew from Reno to San Francisco, to South Lake
Tahoe, and on an additional 1-1/2+ hours to the impact site. There
was no post crash fire...

Does the SR22's CG shift much as a result of fuel burn?

Would a glass wing be more prone to having large areas of leading edge
ice break away all at once than one made of aluminum?




On Thu, 02 Nov 2006 07:31:44 -0600, "mdwhitcomb"
wrote in :
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...31X01585&key=1


Identification: LAX07FA021
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, October 25, 2006 in Meadview, AZ
Aircraft: Cirrus SR22, registration: N121LD
Injuries: 4 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may
contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.

On October 25, 2006, at 1208 mountain standard time, a Cirrus
SR22, N121LD, reported icing conditions at 13,000 feet mean sea
level (msl), disappeared from radar, and then impacted terrain
about 24 nautical miles northeast of Meadview, Arizona. The pilot
was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of
Federal Regulations Part 91. The instrument rated private pilot
and three passengers sustained fatal injuries and the airplane was
destroyed. A combination of visual and meteorological conditions
prevailed along the route of flight and the airplane was being
operated under an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance. The
pilot departed from Lake Tahoe Airport, South Lake Tahoe,
California, about 1030 Pacific daylight time, and was destined for
the Grand Canyon National Park Airport, Grand Canyon, Arizona.

According to a family friend, the pilot met his wife and two
children in the San Francisco area on October 23. On October 24,
they flew to South Lake Tahoe where they spent the night. On
October 25, the day of the accident, the pilot planned to fly to
the Grand Canyon where he and his family would go hiking.

The airplane was last refueled at a fixed base operator at the
Reno/Tahoe International Airport, Reno, Nevada, on October 23. The
fueling invoice indicated that the right and left fuel tanks were
topped off with the addition of 24.1 gallons of fuel. On the
invoice, the pilot's estimated departure time from the airport was
noted as 1000 on October 24.

A fixed base operator employee at Lake Tahoe Airport stated that
the pilot arrived at the airport on October 24, from Reno. The
airplane was secured to the ramp and no fueling services were
provided. The pilot returned to the airport the following morning
and found frost on the airplane. He and his family waited while
the sun rose and melted the frost accumulation. They departed
about 1030.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge,
an Safety Board specialist from the Office of Research and
Engineering, two Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors
from the Las Vegas Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), and
one investigator from FAA Aircraft Accident Investigation
responded to the accident site on October 26, 2007. Additional
investigative personnel from Cirrus Design Corporation, Ballistic
Recovery Systems (BRS), AmSafe Aviation, and Teledyne Continental
Motors, who were parties to the investigation, responded to the
site to assist.

The airplane impacted sloped desert terrain at an elevation of
approximately 4,520 feet msl on a westerly heading. All of the
flight control surfaces were attached or partially attached to the
structure. There was no fire. The wreckage was generally confined
to the impact area, and except for the area immediately
surrounding the wreckage, minimal ground scarring was observed.

The Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) was examined. The
parachute was out of its housing, draped over the empennage and
aft fuselage section of the airframe. Some of the gores (panels
that make up the canopy of the parachute) remained folded. The
suspension lines were intact and undamaged. The deployment cable
was continuous from the cockpit handle aft through the fuselage to
the rocket housing area. The rocket and the deployment bag cover
were located approximately 288 feet east of the accident site.

Based on preliminary weather information obtained by a Safety
Board meteorologist, local weather included AIRMETS (Airman's
Meteorological Information) for icing (approximately 65 nautical
miles northeast of the accident site) and moderate turbulence
(within the accident site area). In addition, a convective SIGMET
(Significant Meteorological Information) was issued for an area
encompassing the accident site. A convective SIGMET implies severe
or greater turbulence, severe icing, and low-level wind shear.