History of Flight
On July 29, 2011, about 1247 eastern daylight time, a special light sport airplane TL 2000 Sting S3, registration N2442, operated by Universal Flight Training, LLC, crashed into trees and then the ground about 13 nautical miles southeast of Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport, Sarasota, Florida. The flight was a local demonstration flight under 14 CFR Part 91, originating from SRQ about 1230. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The purpose was to demonstrate the airplane to the pilot-rated student, who occupied the left seat. The certified flight instructor (CFI), in the right seat as pilot-in-command, reported that they were practicing stalls and did not recall how the airplane entered a spin. The CFI was unable to recover, and the airplane continued spinning until contacting a tree and the ground.
Personnel Information
The CFI, age 56, held a commercial pilot certificate with multi-engine, single-engine, and instrument ratings, and a flight instructor certificate issued August 13, 2010. He estimated 1,200 total hours, with 10 hours in make and model. The pilot-rated student, age 71, held a private pilot certificate. He reported 1,600 hours total time on an operator application, and told a 911 dispatcher he had not flown in 16 years. His weight was listed as 275 pounds on the application; an external examination later recorded 340 pounds.
Aircraft Information
The TL 2000 Sting S3 (serial TLUSA174) was manufactured in 2008 as a light sport aircraft. It was powered by a 100-horsepower Rotax 912ULS engine with a three-bladed ground-adjustable propeller. The airplane was equipped with a Galaxy GRS ballistic parachute system, but it was not deployed. The CFI stated he did not arm the system on flights below 3,000 feet mean sea level and was not trained in its use. The Pilot Operating Handbook specified a maximum seat load of 250 pounds and that the airplane was not approved for aerobatic flight, including spins. Spin recovery procedures were included in the POH.
Wreckage and Impact
The wreckage came to rest at the base of a large oak tree. The left wing was removed during extrication of the left-seat occupant; the right wing remained attached. Examination revealed the fuselage was fractured aft of the firewall, the rudder shaft was fractured due to overtravel, and the elevator control system showed no preimpact failure. The flap selector was in the full down position, and the fuel shutoff valve was open. The left control stick was bent forward about 6.25 inches relative to the right stick. Impact marks on both seat pans corresponded to the elevator control being near full nose-up position at impact.
Medical and Pathological Information
The left-seat occupant was extricated and airlifted to a hospital, where he expired at 0034 on August 1, 2011. An external examination listed the cause of death as complications of blunt trauma, with contributory conditions of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. Toxicology tests were negative for alcohol and drugs. The CFI sustained serious injuries.
Survival Aspects
The airplane's restraint system was designed for ultimate loads of 9 G forward, with 60% of load distributed to the lapbelt. Calculations based on the left-seat occupant's actual weight of 340 pounds indicated that the lapbelt attach points experienced about 1.3 times the design load limit at 9 G, though actual impact loads were not determined.