What happened
An amateur-built single-seat biplane departed from a private aerodrome near Grand Valley, Ontario, after the pilot had stopped to collect a part for another vintage aircraft. After an initial climb to approximately 500 feet, the pilot performed a low-altitude pass over the departure runway at an altitude between 75 and 100 feet. During a subsequent climb to roughly 350 feet, the aircraft's nose pitched down and the plane rolled into a steep, right-banked descent. The aircraft struck the ground near the southeast end of the runway with minimal forward momentum, resulting in one fatality.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage of the Sparrow hawk biplane and found that the engine was in good condition, with no evidence of mechanical or internal component failure. The engine was capable of rotating freely and had sufficient lubrication. However, no fuel was found at the impact site, and the engine was silent during the aircraft's final descent.
While the aircraft was maintained according to regulations, investigators noted that the pilot had manually fueled the aircraft using five-gallon containers. The aircraft's total fuel capacity was 82 litres, and the investigation focused on the lack of fuel remaining in the system. There was no evidence of pilot incapacitation or pre-impact structural failure of the airframe or flight controls.
Findings
- The engine stopped during the climb because of fuel exhaustion.
- The loss of engine power, combined with the high aerodynamic drag inherent to a biplane, led to a rapid loss of airspeed.
- The aircraft entered a stall at an altitude too low for the pilot to successfully execute a recovery maneuver.