Pilot Debrief

WESTCOTT PROWLER JAGUAR near Salinas, CA — 2012-06-01

Final reportWPR12LA241
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Date
2012-06-01
Location
Salinas, CA, USA
Airport
KSNS
Aircraft
WESTCOTT PROWLER JAGUAR
Registration
N125CW
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's inability to maintain airplane control during takeoff due to an incapacitating cardiac event.

NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported that the airplane accelerated down the runway, and immediately after takeoff the nose pitched up, and the airplane stalled, rolled, pitched down, and impacted the ground nose first. A postaccident examination of the flight control surfaces revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The forensic pathologist who performed the postmortem examination of the pilot reported that the pilot experienced a sudden cardiac event as a result of coronary artery atherosclerosis while piloting the airplane. The cardiac event is commonly associated with sudden unexpected death and would have resulted in incapacitation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff due to sudden health issue.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 10 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents10

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