Jamie
Well Known Member
Don Hall was a good friend of mine, just as he was to many RV folks around the Atlanta area and beyond. His tragic accident last September took him and his friend and left a couple of wives and more than a handful of children without their fathers.
Don's accident shook me hard. I hope that we can all discuss his accident with the usual VAF courtesy, reverence, and respect for these beautiful families.
Now, having said that, the NTSB released this week their probable cause report. I have been waiting for this report to come out for quite some time. I know that often times the moderators (rightly so) shut down threads speculating on accidents, but those accidents are seldom ever brought back up to be discussed again. So I think that in the spirit of safety we should open a frank and earnest discussion on Don's accident. Don's tail number was N517DG. Here's the probable cause report in it's entirety.
I am dissatisfied with the report. I'm not saying that the final conclusion from the report was wrong, but that the information made available to the public was shallow and useless -- the entire point of these reports is to improve safety.
[edit: I did not realize that the NTSB's docket system with all of the pertinent data existed]
Don's RV-7 had an AFS 3500EE installed with data logging turned on. This is the most detailed information that we get from that unit? My lowly Dynon stack in my RV-7A recorded far more.
There is no mention of heading data or attitude in the factual report. The only two parameters it mentions are MP and altitude. Does the AFS unit not record these parameters?
I want to know *what* maneuver Don was performing when he presumably stalled and spun into the ground.
I think we get more information from Don's APRS track. He was running APRS when he crashed but packet delivery was sporadic.
[ed. Thank you for posting this, Jamie. Looking forward to any discussion that can make my/our flying safer. v/r, dr]
Don's accident shook me hard. I hope that we can all discuss his accident with the usual VAF courtesy, reverence, and respect for these beautiful families.
Now, having said that, the NTSB released this week their probable cause report. I have been waiting for this report to come out for quite some time. I know that often times the moderators (rightly so) shut down threads speculating on accidents, but those accidents are seldom ever brought back up to be discussed again. So I think that in the spirit of safety we should open a frank and earnest discussion on Don's accident. Don's tail number was N517DG. Here's the probable cause report in it's entirety.
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.
Witnesses observed the airplane maneuvering in the area before the accident. One witness reported seeing the airplane spin “wing to wing down” before it disappeared behind trees. The airplane impacted terrain in an upright, nose-low attitude in a residential area. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure of the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Recorded engine and performance parameters revealed that the pilot reduced power and slowed the airplane while above 3,000 feet indicated altitude. Subsequently, the airplane began an uncontrolled descent. Engine performance indications were increasing during the seconds before impact. It is likely that when the pilot reduced engine power, the airspeed dropped below maneuvering speed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and collision with terrain.
I am dissatisfied with the report. I'm not saying that the final conclusion from the report was wrong, but that the information made available to the public was shallow and useless -- the entire point of these reports is to improve safety.
[edit: I did not realize that the NTSB's docket system with all of the pertinent data existed]
Don's RV-7 had an AFS 3500EE installed with data logging turned on. This is the most detailed information that we get from that unit? My lowly Dynon stack in my RV-7A recorded far more.
There is no mention of heading data or attitude in the factual report. The only two parameters it mentions are MP and altitude. Does the AFS unit not record these parameters?
I want to know *what* maneuver Don was performing when he presumably stalled and spun into the ground.
I think we get more information from Don's APRS track. He was running APRS when he crashed but packet delivery was sporadic.
[ed. Thank you for posting this, Jamie. Looking forward to any discussion that can make my/our flying safer. v/r, dr]
Last edited: