LOUISVILLE, CO, USA
N63XL
PIPER PA-31T2
THE PLT & 2 MECHANICS WERE ON A MAINT TEST FLT. AS THE ACFT WAS ON A STRAIGHT-IN APCH TO RWY 11 FROM THE WEST, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF TRAFFIC AHEAD & TOLD TO SLOW HIS SPEED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. ABOUT 15 SEC LATER, THE CTLR TOLD THE PLT (OF N63XL) TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN TO THE LEFT FOR SPACING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT ENTER A STEEP BANK (TURN), THEN GO INTO A STEEP SPIRALING, NOSE DOWN, DESCENT & CRASH. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ACFT OR ENGS WAS FOUND.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING FOR SPACING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT LOW ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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