- Date
- July 17, 2016, 18:35 local (23:35 UTC)
- Place
- St. James, MO
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4558NBoeing A75
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-aerobatics: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160717011199A
- Case key
- 93653
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 loss of control while performing an aerobatic maneuver resulting in an inadvertent spin and collision with trees and terrain.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot reported that during a local flight in the aerobatic biplane, he performed an aerobatic flight maneuver about 2,000 feet above ground level. He reported that he performed a left wing over, the airplane entered an unintentional spin and he recovered from the spin too low to the ground. The airplane impacted trees and came to rest upright, but sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Factual narrative
The private pilot reported that during a local flight in the aerobatic biplane, he performed an aerobatic flight maneuver about 2,000 feet above ground level. He reported that he performed a left wing over, the airplane entered an unintentional spin and he recovered from the spin too low to the ground. The airplane impacted trees and came to rest upright, but sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4558N
- Reported as
- Boeing A75 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-8457
- Airframe hours
- 2,341.8
- Engine
- Continental W670-6A, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 10, 2015
- Departed
- PVT · St. James, MO
- Destination
- PVT · St. James, MO
- Equipment
- None
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
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 26, 2015
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,034 total · 502 in this make and model · 35 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- VIH, 11 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 1, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4558N · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.