Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB CEN13FA066
Brian P North RAF SE5A Replica — Watkins, CO
| Date | November 21, 2012 |
| Location | Watkins, CO |
| Aircraft | Brian P North RAF SE5A Replica (amateur-built) |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Approach-VFR pattern downwind Loss of control in flight |
| Pilot age | 72 |
| Pilot total time | 491 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 7 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of airplane control and inadvertent stall while attempting to return for landing.
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Temp/humidity/pressure-(general)-Contributed to outcome
What happened
The pilot had requested to return to the airport for a full stop landing. According to a witness, the airplane appeared to be in a slow, labored climb in an abnormally high pitch attitude about 300 feet above the ground on the downwind leg in the traffic pattern. The airplane then entered a spiral descent while approaching the turn to base and impacted the ground about 0.7 miles north of the runway threshold; a postimpact fire ensued. Examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The slow flight and high pitch followed by a spiral descent are indicative of an aerodynamic stall.