What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot took off at approx 14:30 from sportsman airpark (2S6), newberg, OR, to south in an open-air cocpit, experimental light-sport aircraft (elsa), headed to lenhardt airpark (7S9), hubbard, OR. After leveling off at 1500 ft, the pilot let go of the control stick and held it with his knees to pull out a camera and take pictures. The aircraft started to accelerate (descend), which was normal according to the pilot who had performed this maneuver before. He would just grab the stick to deccelerate (pull nose up), but this time the aircraft kept accelerating (descending). He yanked the stick to pull up the nose and then 6-7 seconds later popped the brs chute. The aircraft was under the chute for approx 4 seconds before hitting the ground. The pilot was not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The pilot had not noticed any abnormal flight control operation or flight characteristics prior to taking the stick with his knees.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT TOOK OFF AT APPROX 14:30 FROM SPORTSMAN AIRPARK (2S6), NEWBERG, OR, TO SOUTH IN AN OPEN-AIR COCPIT, EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT-SPORT AIRCRAFT (ELSA), HEADED TO LENHARDT AIRPARK (7S9), HUBBARD, OR. AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 1500 FT, THE PILOT LET GO OF THE CONTROL STICK AND HELD IT WITH HIS KNEES TO PULL OUT A CAMERA AND TAKE PICTURES. THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO ACCELERATE (DESCEND), WHICH WAS NORMAL ACCORDING TO THE PILOT WHO HAD PERFORMED THIS MANEUVER BEFORE. HE WOULD JUST GRAB THE STICK TO DECCELERATE (PULL NOSE UP), BUT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT KEPT ACCELERATING (DESCENDING). HE YANKED THE STICK TO PULL UP THE NOSE AND THEN 6-7 SECONDS LATER POPPED THE BRS CHUTE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNDER THE CHUTE FOR APPROX 4 SECONDS BEFORE HITTING THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT HAD NOT NOTICED ANY ABNORMAL FLIGHT CONTROL OPERATION OR FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS PRIOR TO TAKING THE STICK WITH HIS KNEES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N7008Z · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.