Pilot Debrief

REMOS ACFT GMBH FLUGZEUGBAU REMOS GX near Española, NM — 2016-03-11

Final reportCEN16FA122
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Date
2016-03-11
Location
Española, NM, USA
Airport
E14
Aircraft
REMOS ACFT GMBH FLUGZEUGBAU REMOS GX
Registration
N28GX
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while operating in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot was conducting a personal flight in the airport traffic pattern. A witness reported seeing the single-engine airplane enter left traffic for runway 16 and land. The airplane then made a second takeoff and continued to make left turns. The witness reported that, while airplane was turning from the crosswind leg to the downwind leg, he heard a reduction in engine power and saw the airplane descend toward the ground. Another witness reported that he heard the airplane takeoff from the airport and then saw the airplane make a left turn. He stated that, while the airplane was in the left turn, it pitched nose-down and descended toward the ground. The witness also noted that the airplane's engine sounded normal during the flight. A postaccident examination established that the airplane had impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude and was destroyed by impact and postimpact fire damage. The examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane during the flight. Based on the witness descriptions and the impact geometry, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain adequate airspeed during the left turn, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the maneuver after hearing engine power reduction.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 21 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents21

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