- Date
- March 10, 1989, 13:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- Titusville, FL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N775CHNorth American T-28C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 24, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890310003599A
- Case key
- 32279
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 improper execution of an aerobatic maneuver resulting in inadequate airspeed and loss of control.
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
The aerobatic qualified pilot was practicing a cuban 8 type of maneuver. According to a witness, the maneuver was performed in a reverse manner. When the pilot previously performed the maneuver, he allowed the aircraft to climb (sufficiently) before making a 180 deg roll & going down the back side of the maneuver. However, just before the acdnt, after completing the front side of the maneuver, the acft was immediately rolled 180 deg without climbing (sufficiently). Subsequently, during recovery from the descent on the back side of the maneuver, the acft mushed into the ground & crashed in a wings level attitude.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N775CH
- Reported as
- North American T-28C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 140639
- Airframe hours
- 8,742
- Engine
- Wright R-1820, 1,425 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Avtec Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 16, 1988 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- TIX
- Airport
- TIX · Titusville
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
- 48
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Unknown, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 10,500 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 18 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TIX
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.