TUCSON, AZ, USA
N4649A
CESSNA A152
THE 218 HOUR PRIVATE PILOT AND A FRIEND DEPARTED THE AIRPORT IN AN AEROBATIC CESSNA A152 WITH PARACHUTES. THEY PROCEEDED TO THE WEST PRACTICE AREA WHERE RADAR RECORDED THE AIRCRAFT MANEUVERING. THEY FAILED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED TWO DAYS LATER IN THE WEST PRACTICE AREA. AN EXAM REVEALED IT HAD IMPACTED THE GROUND IN ABOUT A 75 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROTATING ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. THE PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED ABOUT 15 HOURS OF AEROBATIC INSTRUCTION IN A BELLANCA 7GCA AND LESS THAN AN HOUR IN A CESSNA 152. NO RECORD WAS FOUND THAT HE HAD PERFORMED AEROBATIC FLIGHT SINCE HE HAD COMPLETED THE TRAINING ABOUT 4 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOVER FROM A SPIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THERE WAS ADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM AN INADVERTENT OR INTENTIONAL SPIN, AND HIS LACK OF RECENT EXPEREINCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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