- Date
- May 21, 2017, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Talkeetna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N484WTThomas E Hudzinski Backcountry Super CR
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170521011019A
- Case key
- 95222
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 failure to maintain a proper airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 4
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 pilot reported that, while participating in a slow flight competition, he was over the target area for the radar speed check about 30 ft above the ground, at 17 mph ground speed, when the left wing stalled. He added that he did not have sufficient altitude to recover. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while participating in a slow flight competition, he was over the target area for the radar speed check about 30ft. above the ground, at 17 mph ground speed, when the left wing stalled. He added, that he did not have sufficient altitude to recover. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N484WT
- Reported as
- Thomas E Hudzinski Backcountry Super CR (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- BC31411007
- Built
- 2015
- Airframe hours
- 460
- Engine
- Aerosport Power IO-375, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · October 15, 2016
- Departed
- TKA · Talkeetna, AK
- Destination
- TKA · Talkeetna, AK
- Airport
- TKA · Talkeetna, runway 36, 3,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
- 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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 17, 2016
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 460 in this make and model · 1,200 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.47 inHg
- Observed at
- PATK
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 13, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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.