Takeoff & Initial Climb · NTSB ANC22FA005
GERALD JONES 2+2 — Kodiak, AK
| Date | November 7, 2021 |
| Location | Kodiak, AK |
| Aircraft | GERALD JONES 2+2 (amateur-built) |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Takeoff Loss of control in flight |
| Pilot age | 39 |
| Pilot total time | 200 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Angle of attack-Capability exceeded
What happened
Numerous witnesses reported that, shortly after takeoff, the airplane entered a steep right turn, the nose dropped, and the airplane entered a spiraling descent in a near-vertical attitude.
A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The damage to the airplane and surveillance video were consistent with a near-vertical descent indicative of an aerodynamic stall. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot failed to maintain sufficient airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.