Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to prevent an inadvertent aerodynamic stall, and impact with terrain.
Aircraft Information
Analysis
The pilot reported that the accident flight was his first flight in an experimental amateur built airplane, and he planned to complete one circuit in the traffic pattern. He said he remembered that during the final approach to land, he saw power lines which crossed the approach path, and a building, which he wanted to stay above. He also encountered a crosswind. He did not remember anything further.
A witness who observed the flight from the ground, reported that as the airplane approached the runway, he saw the airplane climb to clear the wires, but then the airplane descended and "fell out of the air," impacting the ground almost vertically.
The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During a post-flight examination, substantial damage was found along the fuselage.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA15CA138