Extra EA-300 N101PK

Summary

On 20 April 2009 at about 00:28 local time, a Extra EA-300 registered N101PK, operated by Otter Enterprises, was involved in an accident near Santa Barbara, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 April 2009 at 00:28

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Barbara, California, United States

Nearest airport

Santa Barbara Muni Airport (SBA)

Coordinates

34.4178, -120.0167

Aircraft

Extra EA-300

Registration

N101PK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Otter Enterprises

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Barbara → Santa Barbara

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09LA203

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with terrain for undetermined reasons while performing aerobatics.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness observed the airplane performing aerobatics over the ocean for about 10 minutes prior to the accident. The maneuver was the same; the airplane would fly straight up, roll 360 degrees as in a loop, descend, and then pull back up into the same maneuver. On the maneuver that culminated in the accident he saw the airplane fly straight up, flip over, and enter into a 45-degree descent toward the water. He expected the airplane to pull up into the same maneuver; however, the airplane continued its descent until it impacted the water. The witness reported that he was not able to see any detail as the airplane was off in the distance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.