PONTE VEDRA BCH, FL, USA
N81VA
LEE, DAVID VELOCITY
THE EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT ACFT WAS ON A TEST FLT AT 10,000 FT TO PERFORM SOME MANEUVERS WITH THE CG AT THE MOST REARWARD LIMITS. THE ACFT WAS PLACED INTO AN 'AGGRAVATED STALL' DURING WHICH THE ACFT ENTERED A 'DEEP STALL'. ALL CONVENTIONAL & UNCONVENTIONAL MEANS OF REGAINING CONTROL OF THE ACFT, INCLUDING THE PLT CLIMBING OUT OF THE COCKPIT & LEANING AS FAR FWD AS POSSIBLE, FAILED TO RECOVER CONTROL OF THE ACFT. AT ONE POINT, THE PLT CONSIDERED BAILING OUT, BUT CHANGED HIS MIND DUE TO THE ZERO BANK, ZERO FWD SPEED, ZERO YAW & SLOW DESCENT TOWARD THE OCEAN. AFTER THE HARD VERTICAL IMPACT, THE PLT RELEASED HIS HARNESS & STEPPED INTO THE WATER. THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED & AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE CANARD GAP SEALS WHICH HAD BEEN INSTALLED TO ENHANCE PITCH AUTHORITY OF THE CANARD ON THE PREV FLT, WERE STILL IN PLACE DUE TO AN OVERSIGHT. WITH THE GAP SEALS INSTALLED, THE CANARD PITCH AUTHORITY EXCEEDED THE AUTHORITY OF THE WING.
FAILURE THROUGH AN OVERSIGHT TO REMOVE THE CANARD GAP SEALS PRIOR TO AGGRAVATED STALL TESTING WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT ENTERING AN UNCONTROLLABLE FLIGHT REGIME.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
