PERSONAL INJURY: FAA Warns Pilots on the Use of Homemade Planes
March 25, 2010
Washington - Federal officials have warned Thursday that a homemade plane which killed a 38-year-old man in South Carolina last week has contributed to a large number of fatal accidents involving small planes.
In a statement, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that Lancair, a type of a small plane which can be assembled from a kit, is prone to stall during a flight especially when going slower to land.
The agency said the design of Lancair may also expose pilots to dangers during slow-speed operations.
“Planes made from kits have contributed to a significantly higher number of fatal accidents in the US compared to small planes”, FAA officials said in a safety warning.
However, Lancair International Inc. has denied the agency’s allegation saying that the planes would not stall if these are “constructed and operated” according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Company owner Joseph Bartels said the problem is caused by pilots “flying at speed slower than the Lancair’s design.”
Bartels added that pilots should know the speed limit of their planes because there is information provided in each kit.
Last week, Robert Gary Jones was jogging on a beach in South Carolina when he was struck and killed by a Lancair plane.
The pilot and his passenger survived the crash.
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