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RV-8A, North Carolina, September 2, 2015

Arlen

Well Known Member
2 dead.

Why?

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NTSB Identification: ERA15FA335
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, September 02, 2015 in Advance, NC
Aircraft: COOPER MICHAEL C RV 8A, registration: N393MC
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On September 2, 2015, about 1403 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur built Cooper RV-8A airplane, N393MC, registered to and operated a private individual, crashed into a pond while making a low pass over the Twin Lakes Airport (8A7), Advance, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and the two occupants (both pilot rated) were fatally injured. The flight originated about 3 minutes earlier from 8A7.

Several witnesses noted both occupants perform a preflight inspection and also reported noting an engine run-up was conducted before departure. After takeoff from runway 27, the flight remained in the traffic pattern for runway 27 and the airplane was observed by a pilot-rated witness flying over runway 27 at about 200 to 300 feet above ground level at an estimated speed of between 190 and 200 miles-per-hour. When the airplane was at about the ? way point along the runway, the witness noted the airplane briefly pitched slightly nose down. At that time he thought they were going to do a roll or some maneuver and said words to the effect, "oh my god he is going to roll it" though he thought they were too low an altitude at the start of the maneuver. The airplane then pitched slightly nose up, and began to roll to the left, which began about 1 to 1.5 seconds after the slight pitch-up. He reported the roll turned into a barrel roll. As the airplane became inverted he noted the nose came down and the airplane began descending while continuing the roll. He noted the airplane at that time was about 30 degrees nose low and south of the runway. The tail appeared to lower and the airplane was in a nose-up attitude, which he later attributed to be an attempt to "save" the airplane, then thought it turned into an accelerated stall. He saw a splash and heard the impact and then saw smoke. He indicated he did not see any smoke trailing the airplane during the flight, and reported the engine sounded OK during the entire flight with no discrepancies noted.

 
Judgement.

Arlen, these things are difficult to explain but judgement is a hard subject to teach. Obviously, guys like Ron, who just placed in the IAC competition practice often and at altitude.

Then, as experience grows, descend sensibly, continuing to practice the same maneuvers skillfully, in a measured discipline, SOLO. I did this in my -6A often.

If a maneuver such as a barrell roll is attempted at low level, without much obvious practice, bad endings are the outcome, unfortunately.

Sad,
 
Part of it is often cultural. When pilots cheer at a low pass (a useless maneuver in my book, and almost always illegal -- being over a runway is not an excuse), those pilots encourage this kind of behavior. And individuality is an American virtue, accountability is not.

If more pilots spoke up before such events, fewer pilots would have to speak up after these events, at funerals.
 
Pierre,
your so correct.
Please folks don't take unnecessary risk... were starting to have a bad year for RV's

Smilin' Jack
 
Its a pretty big leap from a witness statement, to someones skills, experience, intent, and ego. Id argue we know nothing of any of that. For all we know he had a flight control jam, or his pax panicked and took the stick, or he was a suicide by plane, or his pax was suicide by plane, or any of a number of reasons we know absolutely nothing about. You can continue to make up stories that suit your agenda to discuss him.
Or, as an alternative, perhaps you could just discuss you and what you have done that, but for luck or the grace of god, may have led you to an accident with a similar outcome.
Just a thought.
 
Rv8a in N.C.

Chiefpilot......please read my comments in the safety section on this board before you go flogging other pilots that you don't know. Both pilots were good friends of mine and I saw both of them die that day. While a mistake was probably made here by the lesser experienced pilot....we are all human and capable of mistakes as well. You might direct your energy instead into prayers for the families of David and Jerry.....
 
Chiefpilot......please read my comments in the safety section on this board before you go flogging other pilots that you don't know. Both pilots were good friends of mine and I saw both of them die that day. While a mistake was probably made here by the lesser experienced pilot....we are all human and capable of mistakes as well. You might direct your energy instead into prayers for the families of David and Jerry.....

Jim,

My condolences to you on the loss of your friends, and to their families. These kinds of tragedies should make all of us think very hard about the risky hobby or business in which we are engaged, and to re-focus our efforts to avoid some risks as best we can...

NTSB reports are full of accidents associated with "buzzing" (high-speed low passes) and "maneuvering" in the pattern or near the ground.

Kahuna, I agree we don't have all the facts, and the other possibilities you mention are indeed possibilities....although certainly less probable than simply making some mistakes during the high-speed pass. In my 27 years of flying, I've screwed up pretty bad a few times -- I feel lucky to still be here.

These 2 pilots won't get another chance.
 
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