- Date
- May 3, 1992, 15:58 local (19:58 UTC)
- Place
- Somerville, VA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1RXSam R. Crowell SH-2R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920503012979A
- Case key
- 11723
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate handling of aircraft during aerobatic maneuver which resulted in a loss of control. Contributing factors were lack of experience in operation.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot indicated before the flight that he was going to do some aerobatics. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot was overheard on the radio saying 'I can't control it . . . We're going in.' Witnesses reported the airplane descended while in a counter clockwise flat spin before it crashed. The investigation did not reveal evidence of mechanical malfunction. The pilot's only known aerobatic flight experience occurred on a day about three weeks earlier, in which he was shown loops and barrel rolls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1RX
- Reported as
- Sam R. Crowell SH-2R
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 222
- Airframe hours
- 185
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360 B1E, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Harrison Realty Development
- Registered owner
- Harrison Realty Development
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 16, 1991 · 86 hours before
- Departed
- W66 · Warrenton/Fauqu, VA
- Destination
- W66
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 245 total · 151 in this make and model · 200 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.