ALDERWOOD MANOR, WA, USA
N8020E
WHITTAKER BUSHBY MUSTANG 1
AFTER MAKING A LOW PASS OVER THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT FLEW A VFR TRAFFIC PATTERN AT A LOW ALTITUDE. HE INITIATED A STEEP LEFT TURN TO FINAL APPROACH AT 100 FT ABOVE THE LAKE ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED FURTHER LEFT, DESCENDED IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE & IMPACTED THE WATER.
PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN FLYING A TRAFFIC PATTERN AT TREE-TOP LEVEL AND A TAILWIND CONDITION DURING THE STEEP TURN TO FINAL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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