Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB ERA11LA496
AERO ADVENTURE ZEPHYR II — Sylacauga, AL
| Date | September 18, 2011 |
| Location | Sylacauga, AL |
| Aircraft | AERO ADVENTURE ZEPHYR II |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 63 |
| Pilot total time | 2,500 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Physical-Impairment/incapacitation-Cardiovascular-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Attain/maintain not possible - C
What happened
During climb after takeoff, the experimental light sport airplane made an extreme right bank and descended nose-down into a grassy area adjacent to the runway. Although the pilot had recently modified the elevator trim, the in-flight upset was not a pitch upset, and examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued about 8 years prior to the accident. A few months before the accident, the pilot had applied for another FAA third-class medical certificate; however, it was deferred by the FAA due to the pilot’s history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, lymphoma, and diabetes. The pilot's autopsy subsequently revealed that he suffered a fatal heart attack during the attempted takeoff.