What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) This was the first flight for this pilot in this aircraft. Both the engine and propeller were replaced with a different make and/or model. Prior to departure, a high power engine run-up was successfully performed. The fuel tank was topped to five gallons. The general flight plan included an "approach to stall" to simulate the slow flight characterisitics during landing. A successful high speed taxi test preceded the takeoff. The takeoff climb to altitude and cruise orbiting the airport appeared normal. A higher power setting was then established with the pilot reporting "everything normal." At the end of the flight, the aircraft was observed on a downwind leg at about 2000-3000 ft AGL; the aircraft was slowed to a nose high attitude while maintaining altitude. Then, while maintaining the same pitch attitude a constant loss of altitude occurred with the wings maintaining a steady, level orientation for about 3-4 seconds. The aircraft appeared to be in a stall with no apparent stall recovery action being taken. The engine power was not heard to increase nor was the pitch angle reduced. Then there appeared to be an abrupt entry into a right turn spin of about 6-8 turns followed by a near vertical impact with the ground.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT FOR THIS PILOT IN THIS AIRCRAFT. BOTH THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT MAKE AND/OR MODEL. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, A HIGH POWER ENGINE RUN-UP WAS SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED. THE FUEL TANK WAS TOPPED TO FIVE GALLONS. THE GENERAL FLIGHT PLAN INCLUDED AN "APPROACH TO STALL" TO SIMULATE THE SLOW FLIGHT CHARACTERISITICS DURING LANDING. A SUCCESSFUL HIGH SPEED TAXI TEST PRECEDED THE TAKEOFF. THE TAKEOFF CLIMB TO ALTITUDE AND CRUISE ORBITING THE AIRPORT APPEARED NORMAL. A HIGHER POWER SETTING WAS THEN ESTABLISHED WITH THE PILOT REPORTING "EVERYTHING NORMAL." AT THE END OF THE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED ON A DOWNWIND LEG AT ABOUT 2000-3000 FT AGL; THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLOWED TO A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHILE MAINTAINING ALTITUDE. THEN, WHILE MAINTAINING THE SAME PITCH ATTITUDE A CONSTANT LOSS OF ALTITUDE OCCURRED WITH THE WINGS MAINTAINING A STEADY, LEVEL ORIENTATION FOR ABOUT 3-4 SECONDS. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE IN A STALL WITH NO APPARENT STALL RECOVERY ACTION BEING TAKEN. THE ENGINE POWER WAS NOT HEARD TO INCREASE NOR WAS THE PITCH ANGLE REDUCED. THEN THERE APPEARED TO BE AN ABRUPT ENTRY INTO A RIGHT TURN SPIN OF ABOUT 6-8 TURNS FOLLOWED BY A NEAR VERTICAL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.