Bellanca 1730 N8849V

Summary

On 7 January 2019 at about 18:34 local time, a Bellanca 1730 registered N8849V was involved in an accident near Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, 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

7 January 2019 at 18:34

Classification

Accident

Location

Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

35.3286, -85.0556

Aircraft

Bellanca 1730

Registration

N8849V

Category

Airplane

Year built

1971

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chattanooga → Chattanooga

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA19LA080

2 people died.

The pilot's improper decision to attempt an aerobatic maneuver at low altitude, which led to an aerodynamic stall and spin from which the pilot could not recover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness saw the airplane fly over a lake and noted that the airplane made "a tight U-turn" at a low altitude, which he thought might have been an aerobatic maneuver. The airplane then spiraled straight down counterclockwise and impacted the lake. Video from a camera mounted to the airplane's right horizontal stabilizer confirmed that the airplane flew very low over water. Subsequent video showed that the airplane pitched up, rolled to the left, and entered a left spin before descending and impacting the lake. It is likely that the pilot had attempted a left wingover maneuver (in which the airplane makes a steep climb followed by a vertical turn and subsequent descent), but the airplane experienced an aerodynamic stall that led to the left spin near the top of the maneuver. The video revealed no evidence of a preimpact structural failure, flight control malfunction, or loss of propeller rpm. Additionally, postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot's toxicology results indicated that he had previously taken some cough and cold medications, including some that were potentially sedating. However, these medications were out of his system, as shown by the absence or low levels of these medications in the pilot's blood. Thus, the pilot's use of these medications was not likely a factor in this accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.