- Date
- February 15, 1992, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Paula, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N64NDAvions Mudry CAP-10B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920215002959A
- Case key
- 27559
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 failure of the airplanes's left wing spar due to stress overloading caused by pre-existing compression failures in the laminate.
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
In his written statement, the pilot reported that he started a loop at about 4,500 feet above mean sea level. He entered the maneuver at 160 mph and 'pulled 5 to 5 1/2 g's (EST).' He stated that when the aircraft was in a 45 degree nose up attitude, he heard a 'loud bang.' He removed his seat belts (2), exited the airplane, and parachuted to safety. An examination of the accident site and airplane revealed the left wing failed and departed the aircraft during the loop maneuver. A laboratory examination of the failed wooden wing revealed, in part '...that failure occurred probably because of overloading of the spar.' The laboratory report further stated 'the very brash failure completely through the cross-sectional area of the compression laminate suggests pre-existing compression failures in the laminate before catastrophic failure through the critical loading area.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N64ND
- Reported as
- Avions Mudry CAP-10B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 175
- Airframe hours
- 1,405
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-360-B2F, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Peter Poland
- Registered owner
- Peter Poland
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 22, 1991 · 102 hours before
- Departed
- CMA · Camarillo, CA
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
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 21 in this make and model · 15,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.