# NTSB DEN93LA058: Sukhoi SU-29, N29RP, Fountain, CO, May 14, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 14, 1993, 12:45 local (18:45 UTC) - Place: Fountain, CO - Coordinates: 38.660964, -104.68927 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6610&lon=-104.6893&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 30, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 11088 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN93LA058 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11088/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN93LA058 ## Probable cause FAILURE OF BOTH THE PILOT IN COMMAND AND THE SAFETY PILOT TO RELINQUISH CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE SAFETY PILOT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - relinquishing of control - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - relinquishing of control - not performed, copilot/second pilot (cause) - communications - not issued, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis THE PILOT ROLLED THE AIRPLANE INVERTED, THEN UPRIGHT. THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN AND THE PILOT PULLED THE POWER BACK, HALF ROLLED THE AIRPLANE, AND PUSHED THE CONTROL STICK FORWARD. WHEN THIS FAILED, THE PILOT HALF ROLLED THE AIRPLANE AGAIN AND PULLED THE TRIM TAB IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE'S RATE OF DESCENT. WHEN THIS HAD NO EFFECT, THE PILOT JETTISONED THE CANOPY AND HE AND THE SAFETY PILOT BAILED OUT. A SIMILAR INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE INSTRUCTOR WHO HAD GIVEN THE PILOT INSTRUCTION IN THE AIRPLANE SURMISED THAT UNBEKNOWNST TO THE TWO PILOTS, THEY HAD PROBABLY OPERATED THE CONTROLS AGAINST EACH OTHER'S INPUT. ## Factual narrative On May 14, 1993 at approximately 1245 mountain daylight time, N29RP, a Sukhoi SU-29, impacted terrain while performing aerobatic maneuvers 10 miles east of Fountain, Colorado. Both pilots parachuted to safety. The pilot in command received serious injuries and the safety pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, and no flight plan was filed. According to the pilot in command, they had been performing aerobatic maneuvers, including aileron rolls, slow rolls, Cuban 8's, and Immelmans. The pilot then rolled the airplane inverted. After maintaining that attitude for about 10 or 15 seconds, he rolled the airplane upright. In his accident report, the pilot wrote, "At (that) point, the aircraft pitched straight down. I pulled the power back and half rolled to see if I could push the stick to initiate a climb. This failed so I half rolled again and pulled the trim tab in (an) attempt to control the aircraft's rate of descent. This had no effect." The pilot then jettisoned the canopy and both pilots bailed out. The safety pilot was unable to recall any details of the accident. A Russian-built flight data recorder was recovered from the wreckage and sent to NTSB's Engineering Services Division for readout and analysis. After consulting with Soviet technicians, it was determined that the only data on the recorder was from previous flights and not from the accident flight. The Federal Aviation Administration received a letter and report from the vice president of Pompano Air Center, worldwide distributor of Sukhoi sport aircraft, located in Pompano Beach, Florida. According to the report, Pompano Air Center's chief flight instructor had given the pilot approximately 20 hours of dual instruction in the airplane. The report also stated that these two pilots had experienced a similar situation in the airplane several days before the accident, but had managed to land safely. Post-incident inspection disclosed no evidence of flight control failure or malfunction. It was the company's opinion that unbeknownst to the two pilots, they had probably operated the controls against each other's inputs. Their report is enclosed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N29RP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N29RP-1993-09-21), registration cancelled 1993-09-21, S/N 7202 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SUKHOI SU-29 - Registry model: [Sukhoi SU-29](https://openairdocs.org/model/sukhoi-su-29) (registry code 9850103) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 72-02 - Airframe hours: 214 - Engines: Vendeneyev M-14 360 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Savage, John P. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: COS, COLO. SPRINGS, CO - Destination: COS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: rear; flight hours: 1,450 total, 70 in this make and model, 1,400 as pilot in command, 99 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 23 knots, gusting 35 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: COS, 9 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930514013729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930514013729A), May 14, 1993: Sukhoi SU29, Fountain, CO, Destroyed. Aerobatic practice. Problems in roll recovery. Unable control dive. Bailed out. Both pilots on controls opposite. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.