SANTA PAULA, CA, USA
N64ND
Avions Mudry CAP-10B
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.'
THE FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANES'S LEFT WING SPAR DUE TO STRESS OVERLOADING CAUSED BY PRE-EXISTING COMPRESSION FAILURES IN THE LAMINATE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
