Beechcraft A45 N7973A

Summary

On 8 July 1989 at about 15:55 local time, a Beechcraft A45 registered N7973A was involved in an accident near Troy, Alabama, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 July 1989 at 15:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Troy, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Troy Municipal (TOI)

Coordinates

31.9001, -85.9003

Aircraft

Beechcraft A45

Registration

N7973A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL89FA175

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING A AEROBATIC MANEUVER AT LOW ALTITUDE DUE TO HIS LACK OF AEROBATIC EXPERIENCE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITY TO PERFORM THE MANEUVER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS THE 2ND OF 5 SIMILAR MODELS PERFORMING A LOW-LEVEL FLYBY OVER THE RWY. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED AND ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM AN AILERON ROLL TO THE LEFT SHORTLY AFTER THE 1ST AIRPLANE HAD SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED THE MANEUVER. A VIDEOTAPE RECORDING OF THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE ROLL RATED SLOWED AND THE NOSE BEGAN TO DROP AS THE AIRPLANE ROLLED INVERTED. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A DIVING TURN TO THE RIGHT, AND SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED OFF TO THE RT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE WRECKAGE EXAM REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. A RELATIVE OF THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE PLT DID NOT HAVE MUCH AEROBATIC EXPERIENCE AND DID NOT LIKE TO PERFORM AEROBATICS. EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK FOR THE PRECEDING YEAR REVEALED NO LOGGED AEROBATIC EXPERIENCE. A FLY-IN WAS IN PROGRESS AT THE ARPT WHEN THE MISHAP OCCURRED. ACCORDING TO THE FLY-IN ORGANIZER, NO AERIAL DEMONSTRATIONS WERE PLANNED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.