HILLSBORO, MD, USA
N12QW
PITTS S-2B
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE PRACTICING AEROBATICS, AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 3500 FEET, HE WAS JUST FINISHING AN IMMELMAN, WHEN THE AIRPLANE INADVERTENTLY WENT INTO A FLAT SPIN. HE STATED HE TRIED TO RECOVER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE LAST THING HE REMEMBERED WAS LOOKING DOWN AT THE TERRAIN FROM ABOUT 800 FEET. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY SAW AND HEARD THE AIRPLANE WHILE IT WAS BEING MANEUVERED, THEN SUDDENLY, THERE WAS SILENCE. THEY LOOKED UP FOR THE AIRPLANE AND SAW IT DESCENDING THROUGH ABOUT 1000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THEY STATED THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE ROSE ABOUT 30 DEGREES ABOVE THE GROUND; HOWEVER, THEY LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE AT TREE TOP LEVEL. AN ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A FLAT ATTITUDE. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH EITHER THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHILE PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT FLAT SPIN AND AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
