FTW90FA120

NTSB accident investigation · Sukhoi SU-26MX · Oklahoma City, OK · June 17, 1990

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
June 17, 1990, 13:44 local (18:44 UTC)
Place
Oklahoma City, OK
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N26TJSukhoi SU-26MX
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 15, 1992
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19900617057169A
Case key
23024

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

Failure of the pilot to recover from the aerobatic maneuver and subsequent stall/spin, due to inadequate altitude. Fatigue may have been a related factor.

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.

In flight collision with terrain/waterManeuvering - turn to reverse direction
Aerobatics - initiatedPilot in command
Weather condition - high density altitude
Stall/spin - not correctedPilot in commandCause
Altitude - inadequatePilot in commandCause
FatiguePilot in command

Analysis

The plt of the russian built acft was participating in an aerobatic show, of which, he was the director. He had rprtd he was fatigued, that he had been under considerable pressure & that he might have to stop flying in the airshow. Drg the airshow, a vertical torque roll & tail slide were performed. Another torque roll & tail slid were then made that resulted in an inverted recovery. Finally, another torque roll & tail slide were performed that evolved in a 1-1/2 turn spin. Subsequently, the acft inpacted the gnd in about a 65 deg dscnt. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was fnd that would have resulted in the acdnt. The plt had engaged the smoke generator for the last mnvr & smoke engulfed the acft as the tail slide bgn. There was evidence the plt was operg the elevator ctl to recover before impact. He had been taking a beta blocker (propranolol), which had been prescribed with the warning of not to use before flt. A blood test showed 0.15 mcg/ml of propranolol, but no physical impairment was verified. Density alt was about 3800 ft.

Aircraft

Registration
N26TJ
Reported as
Sukhoi SU-26MX
Category
Airplane
Serial number
51-01
Engine
Vendeneyev M-14, 360 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Part 91
Registered owner
Jones, Tom D.
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Departed
OKC
Airport
OKC · Will Rogers World

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
46
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Center
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
4,500 total · 75 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
200° at 12 knots
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
97 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
OKC

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.