What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The accident aircraft, N3694U, was part of an event sponsored by privacy data omitted near Eloy, Arizona. The goal was to fly two Cessna 182 aircraft at 14,000 feet, extend a speed brake on both aircraft, place the aircraft into a vertical dive, shut the engines down, and exit the aircraft, with the intent of both pilots switching to the other aircraft. The pilot of N3694U, was able to exit the aircraft, and track to the other aircraft, N3185Q, regaining control and landing without incident. The pilot of N3185Q exited that aircraft, however, he was unable to track to and enter N3694U due to the aircraft entering an inverted flat spin shortly after the pilot had exited. N3694U continued in an inverted flat spin, unoccupied, and ultimately impacted open desert terrain. No ground injuries were reported and the damage sustained to the aircraft is substantial.
As the FAA filed it
THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, N3694U, WAS PART OF AN EVENT SPONSORED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ NEAR ELOY, ARIZONA. THE GOAL WAS TO FLY TWO CESSNA 182 AIRCRAFT AT 14,000 FEET, EXTEND A SPEED BRAKE ON BOTH AIRCRAFT, PLACE THE AIRCRAFT INTO A VERTICAL DIVE, SHUT THE ENGINES DOWN, AND EXIT THE AIRCRAFT, WITH THE INTENT OF BOTH PILOTS SWITCHING TO THE OTHER AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT OF N3694U, WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT, AND TRACK TO THE OTHER AIRCRAFT, N3185Q, REGAINING CONTROL AND LANDING WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE PILOT OF N3185Q EXITED THAT AIRCRAFT, HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO TRACK TO AND ENTER N3694U DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT ENTERING AN INVERTED FLAT SPIN SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOT HAD EXITED. N3694U CONTINUED IN AN INVERTED FLAT SPIN, UNOCCUPIED, AND ULTIMATELY IMPACTED OPEN DESERT TERRAIN. NO GROUND INJURIES WERE REPORTED AND THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO THE AIRCRAFT IS SUBSTANTIAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.