LAKEPORT, CA, USA
N7250C
LOCKHEED PV-2
THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED MAKING SEVERAL LOW PASSES, WITH ITS SMOKE GENERATORS OPERATING, OVER SEAPLANES ANCHORED IN A LAKE. THE LAST PASS WAS REPORTEDLY AT AN ALTITUDE LESS THAN 50 FT, AND THEN THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED ENTERING AN ABNORMALLY STEEP CLIMB, FOLLOWED BY A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE TO IMPACT. A VIDEO TAPE SHOWS THAT BOTH PROPELLERS WERE TURNING. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED HIS MULTI-ENGINE RATING IN A BEECH 76 ON 3/6/90, AND HIS TYPE RATING IN THE AIRPLANE 3/28/90.
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING A PULL-UP FROM A LOW PASS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN BUZZING THE SEAPLANES WHICH RESULTED IN INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL, AND THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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