Pilot Debrief

EBERLE JOHN S FOKKER DR-1 TRIPLANE near Parker, CO — 2012-08-26

Final reportCEN12FA572
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Date
2012-08-26
Location
Parker, CO, USA
Aircraft
EBERLE JOHN S FOKKER DR-1 TRIPLANE
Registration
N152RB
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of control of the airplane due to the airplane’s reduced climb performance during high density altitude operations.

NTSB narrative

The pilot departed the airport, made a left turn to the east, and climbed to an altitude of 6,700 feet mean sea level (msl) at a groundspeed of about 93 knots. About 5 minutes after departing the airport, the airplane initiated a left descending turn and disappeared off radar. Two witnesses who lived near the accident site heard the airplane approach. One witness said the engine sounded normal. As they went outside to see the airplane, the witnesses saw the airplane go over their house at a low altitude, and one witness went to the back of the house to continue to watch the airplane. After he got to the back of his house, the witness saw the airplane in a tight left descending spiral in about a 45-degree nose-down pitch angle. A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. A review of weather conditions at the time of the accident revealed that the density altitude was about 8,250 feet. The elevation at the accident site was 6,170 feet msl. The high density altitude would have reduced the airplane’s climb performance by about 67 percent, which could explain the airplane’s reduced climb performance. When the pilot was interviewed 7 months after the accident occurred, he said he could not recall anything that occurred on the day of the accident. However, it is likely that the airplane stalled as a result of reduced airspeed and climb performance while operating at a high density altitude.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the flight during initial climb when control issues began.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ATC audio
  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 29 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents29

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