SAM R PEACHEY JUST AIRCRAFT HIGHLA near Roxbury, PA — 2014-05-11

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during low altitude maneuvering.

NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he was flying about 500 feet above the ground, dropping candy to children as part of a church outing. He encountered a "rotor" wind off the nearby mountain and when he initiated a turn, the wing stalled. He lost control of the airplane and crashed near a church camp. The airplane came to rest, inverted. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration examined the airplane and confirmed substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

• Loss of control in flight · Maneuvering-low-alt flying
• Loss of Control While Maneuvering

Evidence available

• Photos
• 5 docket documents

Docket documents5

• Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1form
• Memorandum of Record – Interview with Pilotinterview
• Correspondence with Pilotother
• Photo 1 – View of Aircraft Fuselage from Left Side (Photo Courtesy of FAA)photos
• Photo 2 – Empennage (Photo Courtesy of FAA)photos

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