Pilot Debrief

BOEING A75 near Delta, CO — 2021-09-17

Final reportCEN21FA424
Sign in to save
Date
2021-09-17
Location
Delta, CO, USA
Airport
AJZ
Aircraft
BOEING A75
Registration
N19BB
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of control during an aerobatic maneuver, resulting in the airplane impacting terrain.

NTSB narrative

The pilot took off and proceeded to an area northeast of the airport where he began performing aerobatic maneuvers. Witnesses reported that the airplane began a loop maneuver and, at the top of the loop while inverted, the airplane entered a flat spin. They observed the airplane recover from the spin. The airplane then gained altitude and entered another loop. At the top of that loop, while inverted, the airplane entered another flat spin, but this time the pilot did not recover. The airplane descended to impact with rugged terrain. The witnesses reported that the engine could be heard running during the descent to the point of impact. A postaccident examination revealed no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot had used the sedating antihistamine diphenhydramine, which has a potential to cause cognitive and psychomotor slowing and drowsiness. There was insufficient evidence to determine whether the pilot was experiencing impairing diphenhydramine effects at the time of the crash, and no specific evidence that pilot impairment contributed to the crash.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the second loop maneuver to prevent loss of control.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

Related mishaps