Pilot Debrief

RANS S6 near Bridgeport, CA — 2016-07-01

Final reportWPR16LA136
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Date
2016-07-01
Location
Bridgeport, CA, USA
Airport
O57
Aircraft
RANS S6
Registration
N2181K
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering and his improper decision to maneuver low over a home, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at too low of an altitude to recover.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that, as he was nearing his destination and the end of a cross-country, personal flight, he flew over his parents' home. The pilot stated that, after passing over the home, he made a sharp right turn and that the airplane then stalled with insufficient altitude to recover and descended to the ground. Examination of the accident site revealed impact marks consistent with the airplane colliding with terrain in a nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack while making the sharp right turn, which led to an aerodynamic stall at too low of an altitude to recover.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Should have made a shallower turn towards the lake to avoid steep terrain.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents4

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