Belair RAVEN C-FNKZ

Summary

On 5 May 2018 at about 14:02 local time, a Belair RAVEN registered C-FNKZ was involved in an accident near Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 May 2018 at 14:02

Classification

Accident

Location

Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Sault Ste Marie Muni/Sanderson (ANJ)

Coordinates

46.4775, -84.3631

Aircraft

Belair RAVEN

Registration

C-FNKZ

Category

Airplane

Year built

2012

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sault Ste Marie → Sault Ste Marie

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN18FA160

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were departing on a local flight in the experimental, amateur-built airplane in gusting crosswind conditions. Witnesses saw the airplane take off and enter a nose-high attitude. About 100 ft above ground level, the airplane began turning right and transitioned to a nose-low spin until ground impact. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was not equipped with any stall warning devices.  The witness reports and damage to the airplane were consistent with the pilot failing to maintain sufficient airspeed during a steep takeoff climb, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. A flight instructor at the airport reported that, when departing the accident runway with westerly winds present, he would often notice turbulence and swirling air. He attributed this effect to the tall trees located about 100 yards west of the runway. Although autopsies revealed that both pilots were at risk for a sudden cardiac event, the circumstances of the accident are consistent with a loss of control rather than a sudden incapacitation, and it is unlikely that either pilot's cardiac condition contributed to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.