De Havilland DH-100 MK.6 N152RD

Summary

On 23 September 2000 at about 18:43 local time, a De Havilland DH-100 MK.6 registered N152RD, operated by Frederick H. Ihlenburg, was involved in an accident near Ontario, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 September 2000 at 18:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Ontario, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Ontario Muni (ONO)

Coordinates

44.0791, -117.0101

Aircraft

De Havilland DH-100 MK.6

Registration

N152RD

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Frederick H. Ihlenburg

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA00LA186

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during low-altitude maneuvering flight, resulting in an accelerated stall and spin. A factor was the pilot's intentional low-altitude maneuvering flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Most witnesses reported that while making a low, climbing pass during an aerial demonstration at an estimated altitude of 700 to 3,000 feet above ground level, the aircraft initiated a steep banked left turn, then abruptly rolled to the right (one witness reported that it rolled upside down at this point) and entered a spin (or a series of rolls), which continued until ground impact. The witnesses reported that they did not observe the aircraft on fire prior to the crash, that they did not see anything fall off the aircraft before impact, and that they heard the aircraft's engine during the accident sequence. No evidence of any pre-impact mechanical problems with the aircraft or engine was found during post-accident examinations of the aircraft wreckage. The Pilot's Notes for at least one variant of the type indicate that if the aircraft is stalled in a steep turn, the aircraft may 'flick' onto its back.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.