What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The airman departed runway 26L at ksus on a part 135 cargo flight. After rotation, the aircraft pitched up abruptly, consistent with an apparent pitch control problem. The pilot attempted to return to runway 26L with a right circle approach. During the maneuver, the aircraft continued to exhibit erratic pitch oscillations, corrolated with abnormal fluctuations in altitude and airspeed. Control was lost during the turn from right base to final, and the aircraft impacted terrain at a high angle short of the runway. Aircraft was destroyed during post crash fire. Root cause unknown at this time.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRMAN DEPARTED RUNWAY 26L AT KSUS ON A PART 135 CARGO FLIGHT. AFTER ROTATION, THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP ABRUPTLY, CONSISTENT WITH AN APPARENT PITCH CONTROL PROBLEM. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO RUNWAY 26L WITH A RIGHT CIRCLE APPROACH. DURING THE MANEUVER, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO EXHIBIT ERRATIC PITCH OSCILLATIONS, CORROLATED WITH ABNORMAL FLUCTUATIONS IN ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. CONTROL WAS LOST DURING THE TURN FROM RIGHT BASE TO FINAL, AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN AT A HIGH ANGLE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED DURING POST CRASH FIRE. ROOT CAUSE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.
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 N444CA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.