Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB ERA14FA153
WATERS PETER T AVID BANDIT — Washington, PA
| Date | March 11, 2014 |
| Location | Washington, PA |
| Aircraft | WATERS PETER T AVID BANDIT (amateur-built) |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Approach-VFR pattern final Loss of control in flight |
| Pilot age | 52 |
| Pilot total time | 244 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | 36 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Angle of attack-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Response/compensation - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Variable wind-Effect on operation - C
What happened
The pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane had completed three takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern before the accident. One witness stated that, after turning to the final leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane entered an estimated 90-degree left bank and spiraled nose down toward the ground. Another witness reported hearing the airplane and, when she looked up, the airplane was "wobbling" back and forth before it made a descending left turn toward the ground. A review of the weather conditions on the day and time of the accident revealed gusting winds with turbulence mixing to the surface. Postcrash examination of the airplane, engine, and systems revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. The bank and nose-down attitude after the turn are consistent with the pilot failing to maintain airspeed and angle of attack, which led to an aerodynamic stall from which he was unable to recover at low altitude.