What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 5, 2021, at approximately 0930 PST, accident pilot and student (belgian air force, non FAA certificated) departed kmhv, mojave, California, for us restricted airspace R-2508 complex, within R-2515, in the upper mojave desert region, of California. The purpose of the flight was to perform scheduled spin recovery training, provided to the student by the national test pilot school. The accident site is located within the general area of Edwards, CA, within kern county.
Per the airmen?s written statements, the accident maneuver was the second of three planned maneuvers; the first being successful. A stall was initiated at 22,000 feet, and the aircraft entered into a left-inverted spin. After unsuccesful attempts to recover, the airmen ejected the accident aircraft at 12,000 feet. The PIC suffered significant spinal fracture; the SIC was uninjured. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact; and involved in a post-impact fire. Flight control continuity was established.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 5, 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 PST, ACCIDENT PILOT AND STUDENT (BELGIAN AIR FORCE, NON FAA CERTIFICATED) DEPARTED KMHV, MOJAVE, CALIFORNIA, FOR US RESTRICTED AIRSPACE R-2508 COMPLEX, WITHIN R-2515, IN THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT REGION, OF CALIFORNIA. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PERFORM SCHEDULED SPIN RECOVERY TRAINING, PROVIDED TO THE STUDENT BY THE NATIONAL TEST PILOT SCHOOL. THE ACCIDENT SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE GENERAL AREA OF EDWARDS, CA, WITHIN KERN COUNTY.
PER THE AIRMEN?S WRITTEN STATEMENTS, THE ACCIDENT MANEUVER WAS THE SECOND OF THREE PLANNED MANEUVERS; THE FIRST BEING SUCCESSFUL. A STALL WAS INITIATED AT 22,000 FEET, AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED INTO A LEFT-INVERTED SPIN. AFTER UNSUCCESFUL ATTEMPTS TO RECOVER, THE AIRMEN EJECTED THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT AT 12,000 FEET. THE PIC SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT SPINAL FRACTURE; THE SIC WAS UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED UPON IMPACT; AND INVOLVED IN A POST-IMPACT FIRE. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.