Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
NTSB
Do you know what to do if you encounter a dust devil?
In a video, an NTSB meteorologist Paul Suffern notes that dust devils have been present in more than 170 accidents the NTSB has investigated since 1982.
Human Factors: Hidden wear and tear
When a pilot crashes his new plane on the same day he bought it, NTSB investigators discovered the smoking gun for the accident was a part that pilots can’t see during a preflight.
Broken crankshaft gear leads to crash
Probable Cause: The total loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of the crankshaft accessory drive gear.
Loss of control fatal for two
Probable Cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control.
Carb ice contributes to crash
Probable Cause: A loss of engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice that resulted from the pilot’s delayed use of carburetor heat during the landing approach.
‘Reckless’ pilot dies performing low-altitude aerobatic maneuver
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while initiating a low-altitude aerobatic maneuver, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s high-risk behavior.
Piper crashes after student freezes on controls
Probable Cause: The premature retraction of the flaps by the student pilot, while just above the airplane’s stall speed. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision and failure to regain aircraft control from the student pilot.
Improperly adjusted propeller leads to homebuilt’s crash
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to properly adjust the propeller’s pitch angle, which resulted in a loss of thrust and an inability to maintain altitude.