Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB CEN22FA211
PIPER PA-12 — Seagraves, TX
| Date | May 24, 2022 |
| Location | Seagraves, TX |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA-12 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 19 |
| Pilot total time | 187 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | 96 hrs |
| 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
The pilot had been observed flying in the area over a period of several weeks at a low altitude and while performing “ag-type maneuvers” over the fields, as he aspired to become an agricultural pilot. There were no witnesses to the accident; the airplane wreckage was discovered in a field by a local farmer.
Examination revealed that the airplane impacted terrain in a nose- and right-wing-low attitude, and the orientation of the wreckage was consistent with an aerodynamic stall/spin. There was no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering, possibly at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin, a loss of control, and impact with terrain.