Defiant fatal crash

[wallsks]

I am the former wife of this pilot.  Is there anyone who can offer insight and thus "closure" regarding this accident?  I would really appreciate your feedback and any assistance.  
Thank You

NTSB Identification: CHI05LA257
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, September 07, 2005 in Bloomfield, IN
Aircraft: Hildebrant Rutan Defiant, registration: N219DF
Injuries: 1 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 September 7, 2005, at 1625 eastern standard time (est), an amateur-built Hildebrant Rutan Defiant airplane, N219DF, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed during a post- accident ground fire after overrunning the departure end of runway 36 (2,160 feet by 150 feet, turf) at the Shawnee Field Airport (1I3), near Bloomfield, Indiana.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.  The personal flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan.  The pilot was fatally injured. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

[Drew]

I think that you are asking for speculation/opinions/etc.  I am not familiar with this particular accident, nor did I know your husband.  I have no time in a Defiant.-------I guess that makes me totally unqualified to give a good opinion.  However, I will try.

My understanding is that a Defiant (even with 2 engines) needs a fair amount of runway to takeoff and land (or is it just to land?).  My personal runway limit in a Cozy is 3000 ft----could I do 2000 ft?---Yes-----but I would have to be really on top of my game.  In my Longez----no sweat for me for 2000 ft (but that's with lots of experience).  However----even with my Longez, I would not do 2000 ft with turf-----for a whole variety of reasons.  I guess that I really would not do turf at all in a canard airplane regardless of length----and certainly not 2000 ft.

It is possible he accelerated for takeoff and either figured out he did not have enough runway but elected to continue anyway (no room to stop) or aborted too late---again with no room to stop.  Running off the end of the runway is not necessarily fatal----but depends on what obstacles are at the end.

Why did he not accelerate to takeoff speed?  Did he fly out of this airport often---and was familier with it?  Dry turf will slow your rate of acceleration---wet turf is worse---was it wet?  Did he have a problem with one of his engines?  Was he overloaded?  There are many things that were not called out in the preliminary----I looked on the NTSB site and there is no final out.

There are not that many Defiant guys out there.  I hope you get some answers/speculation from some Defiant drivers----or from flyers who knew your husband.

I am very sorry for your loss.

[Dave in Eugene]

I am less qualified to speak on this then Drew but I agree with what he is saying.

There are is a deep well of information in David Or. He knows Defiants. "David Orr" <canardfinder@att.net>,.

Sorry for you loss.

Wishing you strength.

Dave

[Hmanvel]

I am the builder and pilot of a Defiant.  In addition, I was contacted by a Sheriff in Indiana who was assisting in the investigation of the accident.  I'm not sure how you can get "closure" as you say, from this forum.  If you are truly the victom's wife then you have my sincere condolences.  This accident didnt have to happen.  It is a real shame.  But it appears to be the result of a combination of poor judgement and plain bad luck.  I am so sorry.

[Drew]

Harry,
I think that she was just trying to make sense of the information that is within the NTSB preliminary.  And to tell you the truth----there is not much there.  As a comparison (on the other side of the scale) take a look at the NTSB on John Denver's crash-----that's probably the longest one I have ever read for a small airplane!  Any more detail that you can provide?  Or with your involvement are you not allowed to say?

I was speculating on the poor judgement----what was the bad luck?

[Hmanvel]

Drew, I'm not that "in the know".  But I did see some photos.  The biggest bad luck item is that fact that the airplane flipped over, and caught fire.  It skidded into a corn field which could have been alot more forgiving, and must have caught a wingtip or something.  There was a wheelpant way back on the runway (going from memory of a phone conversation here) which may have been related to the whole crash, who knows.  

The judgement part, as you have already seen, is the use of a two thousand foot grass strip.  I wont use anything less than 3000', paved.  I typically have a 1600-1700 foot takeoff roll.  On pavement.