Stall / Spin · NTSB CEN23FA332
NORTH AMERICAN AT-6D — Oshkosh, WI
| Date | July 29, 2023 |
| Location | Oshkosh, WI |
| Aircraft | NORTH AMERICAN AT-6D |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Maneuvering Aerodynamic stall/spin |
| Pilot age | 30 |
| Pilot total time | 688 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 33 hrs |
| Fatalities | 2 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- 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
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
What happened
The pilot and passenger departed on a local flight and climbed to an altitude of about 3,900 ft mean sea level (msl) while turning to overfly a local lake. After leveling off, the airplane made a turn to the right, followed by a turn to the left. Performance calculations based on ADS-B and winds aloft data showed that, during the turns, the airplane decelerated, and the calculated load factor increased. The airplane slowed to a speed consistent with its published accelerated stall speed, then entered a rapid descent. A witness reported seeing the airplane in a flat spin to the right that continued until the airplane impacted the water.
The airplane was destroyed when it impacted the water. Examination of the airplane, engine, and related systems did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Based on the available information, the pilot likely failed to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering and exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall/spin.