MER ROUGE, LA, USA
N6100H
PIPER PA-J3C-65
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE SUCCESSFULLY TAKEOFF FROM THE 2,600 FOOT LONG STRIP AND VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER ENTER A STEEP CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE THEN WENT INTO WHAT WITNESSES DESCRIBED AS A WINGOVER TYPE MANEUVER, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY GROUND INPACT IN A NEAR VERTICAL DIVE. TOTAL FLIGHT TIME WAS ESTIMATED AT 2-3 MINUTES. THE FRONT SET OCCUPANT WAS A STUDENT PILOT WITH ABOUT 141 HOURS, 80 OF WHICH WERE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL, WHO HAD SOLOED IN THE AIRPLANE JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT WAS A COMMERCIAL PILOT WITH AN EXPIRED MEDICAL CERTIFICATE. HE WAS ALSO A PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE AND HAD LOGGED MOST OF HIS FLIGHT TIME IN THAT AIRPLANE. IT IS UNKNOWN WHICH PERSON WAS MANIPULATING THE CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF THE LOSS OF CONTROL OR IMPACT.
AN INADVERTENT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE TOO LOW TO ALLOW FOR RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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