Pilot Debrief

ISAAK PAUL G ISAAK SUPER CUB near Sterling, AK — 2013-02-28

Final reportANC13LA026
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Date
2013-02-28
Location
Sterling, AK, USA
Aircraft
ISAAK PAUL G ISAAK SUPER CUB
Registration
N130Z
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB narrative

A witness familiar with the accident airplane stated that the pilot would typically make a low pass after a flight to let friends or family members know he was back. Due to injuries sustained in the accident, the pilot was unable to remember anything about the accident. According to the passenger, the pilot was making a second low pass over friends just before the accident. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying very slowly, about 300 feet above the ground, with the engine at a low power setting. The airplane’s right wing dipped and it subsequently entered a near vertical spiraling descent, collided with a tree and came to rest in a snow bank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, lift struts, and fuselage. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomaly was discovered during the postaccident examination of the airplane and engine. Given the lack of evidence of any mechanical problems, the passenger and witness’s account of the accident, along with the airplane’s near vertical descent, it is likely that the pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane at low altitude and was unable to recover.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have avoided low pass maneuver at low altitude.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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