COTTONWOOD, CA, USA
N6019J
CESSNA C-A150L
A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MAKE A LOW PASS OVER HIS PRIVATELY OWNED AIRSTRIP BETWEEN 50 AND 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL). THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE PULLED UP, CLIMBED TO A MAXIMUM ALTITUDE OF 200 FEET AGL, & MADE A COMPLETE AILERON ROLL. THE WITNESS FURTHER REPORTED THAT AT THE COMPLETION OF THE ROLL THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING SLOWLY. SUDDENLY, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A RIGHT 60 TO 90 DEGREE BANK, AND THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE DROPPED. THE AIRPLANE RAPIDLY DESCENDED, & WHILE IN A RIGHT WING LOW AND NOSE LOW ATTITUDE IT COLLIDED INTO THE BACKYARD OF A RESIDENCE. THE PILOT HAD A HISTORY OF FLYING LOW OVER THE AIRSTRIP TO SAY HELLO TO THE RESIDENTS. ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS THE PROFESSIONAL 21,300-HOUR PILOT, FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, AND AIR TAXI OPERATOR, HAD PERFORMED LOW LEVEL AEROBATIC MANEUVERS DURING AIR SHOWS.
THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL LOW PASS DURING WHICH HE PERFORMED AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER WITH INADEQUATE AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LOW ALTITUDE AND THE TAILWIND CONDITION WHICH CREATED THE VISUAL PERCEPTION TO THE PILOT OF HAVING AN AIRSPEED HIGHER THAN THAT WHICH HE ACTUALLY HAD. ALSO, THE PILOT USED EXCEEDINGLY POOR JUDGMENT BY HIS PERFORMANCE OF THE AEROBATIC MANEUVER NEAR HOMES.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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