Pilot Debrief

HOWARD AIRCRAFT DGA 15P near Monongahela, PA — 2017-04-12

Final reportERA17FA153
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Date
2017-04-12
Location
Monongahela, PA, USA
Airport
FWQ
Aircraft
HOWARD AIRCRAFT DGA 15P
Registration
N4476N
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Go-around

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during an attempted go-around in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.

NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the airplane touch down left of the runway centerline in gusting crosswind conditions and then attempt to go-around. As the engine noise increased, the airplane yawed 90° left and banked left, perpendicular to the runway. The airplane's nose pitched up, and the airplane subsequently entered an aerodynamic stall and rolled inverted before impacting a ravine about 400 ft left of the runway. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was equipped with a 450-hp radial engine. It is likely that, upon application of engine power to initiate the go-around, the pilot failed to adequately compensate for the extreme left-turning tendencies of the high-powered engine, which resulted in a subsequent loss of control and aerodynamic stall.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the landing earlier to avoid loss of control.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents9

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