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| Date: | Monday 9 June 2014 |
| Time: | 11:15 |
| Type: |  American Aviation AA-1A Trainer |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N9454L |
| MSN: | AA1A-0254 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1971 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2202 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | NW end El Mirage Dry Lake, NW of Adelanto, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | El Mirage, CA |
| El Mirage, CA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was providing airplane rides to family and friends who had assembled at a dry lakebed. He completed two uneventful flights and then departed for a third flight from the lakebed. According to witnesses, the pilot had planned to perform a low pass over the group, and he did so just after takeoff, passing within about 50 ft directly overhead.
The entire accident sequence was captured on video. The airplane dipped its right wing as it passed over the camera position and, after the pass, continued in a climbing right turn, which progressed rapidly to almost 90 degrees of bank. The excessive bank angle resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an accelerated stall at an altitude too low for recovery. The airplane then entered the initial stages of a spin before striking the ground in an almost vertical attitude.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure. Although the reason for the aggressive turn could not be determined, the pilot's overflight of the group while maneuvering at low altitude is consistent with an intentionally-performed ostentatious display.
Probable Cause: The pilot's loss of airplane control while intentionally maneuvering close to the ground, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack in a steep bank and entering an accelerated stall.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=9454L
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Jun-2014 22:08 | Geno | Added |
| 10-Jun-2014 00:47 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 10-Jun-2014 00:49 | Geno | Updated [Total fatalities, Narrative, ] |
| 10-Jun-2014 04:06 | Cooper | Updated [Total fatalities, ] |
| 10-Jun-2014 05:26 | Geno | Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 10-Jun-2014 05:31 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative, ] |
| 15-Jun-2014 06:33 | gerard57 | Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 29-Jun-2014 06:14 | Geno | Updated [Time, Source, Damage, ] |
| 11-Dec-2016 18:00 | Aerossurance | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 29-Nov-2017 15:01 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
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