Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Loss of Engine Power (Partial): Ryan Navion B, N5329K; fatal accident occurred July 17, 2018 near Truckee-Tahoe Airport (KTRK), Nevada County, California


View of fuel selector and position observed at accident site.


Top spark plugs.


Bottom spark plugs.














The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities: 

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Reno, Nevada
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf


Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms


http://registry.faa.gov/N5329K

Location: Truckee, CA
Accident Number: WPR18FA198
Date & Time: 07/17/2018, 0739 PDT
Registration: N5329K
Aircraft: Ryan NAVION
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (partial)
Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On July 17, 2018, about 0739 Pacific daylight time, a Ryan Navion B, N5329K, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Truckee-Tahoe Airport (TRK), Truckee, California. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured; the second passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which was originating at the time of the accident.

According to the fueler on duty and fuel records provided by the airport's fixed base operator, about 20 minutes before departure, the pilot purchased 15 gallons of 100 low lead (100LL) aviation fuel, all of which was added to the right wing tank. According to local air traffic control transcripts and an audio recording provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), about 2 minutes 24 seconds after takeoff, the pilot reported to the tower controller that he had experienced a "power failure" and would be returning to the airport. The controller cleared the pilot to land on any runway, then asked if he needed any assistance; the pilot did not respond, and there were no further communications from the pilot. The airplane impacted terrain about 1 nautical mile southeast of the departure end of runway 11.

The local fire department incident commander stated that a witness reported that he witnessed the plane [flying] low and trying to make a sharp turn back towards the airport, and that the engine seemed like it was "sputtering". He said that it then lost altitude and glided into the creek.

The surviving passenger reported that on the morning of the accident, after the fueling was complete and having watched the pilot do his preflight, they boarded the airplane with the pilot occupying the left front seat, he the right front seat, and his husband the left rear seat. He stated that he remembered taxiing out to the run-up area prior to takeoff, however, does not remember anything after that.

An airport operations maintenance supervisor who witnessed the airplane take off stated that it "was climbing at an unusually steep angle." Its rate of climb decreased, and he saw the landing gear partially extend, then retract again. He heard the pilot report the loss of power to the tower controller and lost sight of the airplane shortly thereafter.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 60, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/18/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time:  943 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1 hours (Total, this make and model)

The pilot, age 70, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. The pilot's personal flight records were not located and his total flight experience, recency of experience, and experience in the accident airplane could not be determined.

The pilot held a third-class FAA airman medical certificate with a limitation that he must have glasses available for near vision. On the application for that certificate, dated May 18, 2017, the pilot reported 973 total hours of flight experience, with 8 hours during the previous 6 months. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Ryan
Registration: N5329K
Model/Series: NAVION B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1951
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: NAV-4-2229-B
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 04/06/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2750 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: GO-480-G1D6
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 280 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

The airplane, serial number NAV-4-2229-B, was a single-engine, all-metal airplane of semi-monocoque design equipped with retractable landing gear, wing flaps, and a constant-speed propeller.

The airplane's most recent annual inspection was performed on April 6, 2017, at a tachometer time of 569.99 hours, a total airframe time of 3,461.92 hours, and 564.72 hours since the engine's last overhaul.

Maintenance records indicated that the carburetor was overhauled on September 1, 2004. Further, on February 2, 2008, at a tachometer time of 516.5 hours, the fuel selector was replaced with a new-style fuel selector, part number 147-30013-203, in accordance with (IAW) Navion Service Bulletin No. 101A.

On February 1, 2009, at a tachometer time of 594.8 hours, Airworthiness Directive 2008-05-14 was completed IAW Navion Service Bulletin No. 106A, a one-time compliance inspection. The Bulletin stated in part, "If within the last 5 years or at any time after April 16, 2008 (the effective date of this AD) you have replaced the fuel selector valve with any of the valves specified in paragraphs (e)(3)(i) and (e)(3)(ii) of this AD, you may terminate the repetitive inspections and functional tests of the fuel selector valve required in paragraph (e)(2) of this AD.

The airplane was powered by a Lycoming GO-480-G1D6 six-cylinder, air-cooled, geared-drive, carburetor-equipped engine rated at 280 horsepower, which was not original to the airplane.

A review of FAA airworthiness records and partial airplane maintenance records revealed no information regarding the installation of the engine. A search of the FAA Supplemental Type Certificate database found no STC's related to the Navion B aircraft model applicable to the accident airplane.

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: TRK, 5901 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0745 PDT
Direction from Accident Site:345° 
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Calm /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction:
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.34 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 12°C / 6°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Truckee, CA (TRK)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Truckee, CA (TRK)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0736 PDT
Type of Airspace: Class D

At 0745, the weather reporting facility located at TRK reported calm wind, 10 miles visibility, light haze, clear sky, temperature 12°C, dew point 6°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.34 inches of mercury. The calculated density altitude about the time of the accident was 6,400 ft.

Airport Information

Airport: Truckee-Tahoe Airport (KTRK)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 5901 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used:11 
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 7000 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 39.301944, -120.125278 (est) 

The airplane impacted terrain about 0.98 mile southeast (160° magnetic) of the departure end of runway 11. The airplane came to rest upright adjacent to a creek on a heading of about 315° magnetic at an elevation of 5,825 ft mean sea level. Debris was contained within about 5 ft of the main wreckage, which included a separated propeller blade. There was no visible debris path or impact marks surrounding the main wreckage.

Both wings remained attached to the fuselage. The right wing exhibited leading edge crushing from the wingtip to about 30 inches inboard. Upward crushing on the bottom of the leading edge was observed near the wing root and in various areas throughout the span of the right wing. The aileron and flap remained attached to their respective mounts. The flap appeared to be in the retracted position. The right main landing gear appeared to be in the retracted position.

The left wing appeared to be mostly undamaged. The aileron and flap remained attached to their respective mounts. The flap and landing gear were in the retracted position.

The fuselage was mostly intact. The structure just aft of the cabin area was buckled and bent to the right. The empennage was intact and undamaged. The rudder, vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizers, and elevators remained attached to their respective attach points. Control continuity was established from the cockpit area to all flight control surfaces.

The engine was partially attached to the airframe and bent downward at an approximate 10-15° angle. When the top cowling was removed, oil residue was observed covering the front of the engine. The propeller hub remained attached. One of the three propeller blades was separated from the hub. Chordwise scratches were observed on all three blades.

The engine, which had been removed from the airframe by retrieval personnel during the recovery process, sustained moderate impact damage to the underside, including the carburetor and exhaust system. Visual examination of the engine revealed no evidence of pre-impact catastrophic mechanical malfunction or fire.

The wreckage was removed from the site to a secure storage facility for further examination.

Both the engine-driven fuel pump and the electric fuel boost pump were removed. Subsequent bench testing revealed that both components operated normally.

The fuel selector, located on the cockpit floor between the two front seats, was observed in the OFF position. Two local fire department incident commanders provided instruction to their first responder staff to turn the fuel off, which was consistent with their operational procedures. It was not determined during the investigation what position the fuel selector was in prior to it being turned to the OFF position. When rotated by hand, the selector functioned normally; all detents were identified when the handle was rotated. The fuel selector could not be removed due to impact damage to the airframe.

Two samples of residual fuel tested negative for water contamination.

The engine crankshaft, which was rotated by hand using the propeller, was free to rotate in both directions. Thumb compression was obtained in proper order on all six cylinders. Mechanical continuity was established throughout the rotating group, valve train, and accessory section.

The top spark plugs were removed. The spark plugs electrodes remained mechanically undamaged. When compared to the Champion Spark Plugs Check-A-Plug chart AV-27, the spark plug electrodes displayed coloration consistent with normal operation.

Normal lifting action was observed at each rocker assembly. Clean, uncontaminated oil was observed at all six rocker box areas. The bottom spark plugs were removed. Borescope inspection of each cylinder combustion chamber revealed no anomalies.

The left and right magnetos remained securely attached at their respective mounting pads. The ignition harness was secure at each magneto. The magneto to engine timing was observed at 25° before top dead center of cylinder No. 1.

The magnetos were removed for examination. Each magneto produced spark at the end of the respective spark plug lead during hand rotation of the drive. The drives of each magneto remained intact and undamaged.

The carburetor was displaced from the engine due to impact forces. The portion that remained attached at the mounting pad was secure. The fracture surface signatures were consistent with overload. The throttle/mixture controls were found securely attached at their respective control arms. The castellated nut and cotter pin remained secure and the serrated interface at the throttle arm remained securely mated.

The carburetor was disassembled for further examination. The carburetor fuel inlet filter screen was free of visible contaminants. The outer regulator diaphragm (fuel), inner regulator diaphragm (air), and power enrichment rubber diaphragms were ruptured/torn. Microscopic examination of the fracture surfaces of the carburetor inner regulator, outer regulator, and the enrichment valve diaphragms revealed features consistent with shear and tension fractures likely sustained during the impact.

The engine-driven fuel pump was attached to the engine at the mounting pad. The input fuel line had been removed at the firewall by the retriever. The fuel pump output hose had been removed at the fuel pump by the retriever. The fuel pump was removed for examination. The drive was free to rotate.

Fluid consistent with the appearance and odor of aviation fuel was found within the carburetor during disassembly; testing of the fuel revealed no water contamination.

Due to the extreme impact damage to the airframe, the fuel system, gascolator screen, vent lines, and fuel lines were not examined.

The examinations of the engine and the airframe did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Medical And Pathological Information

On July 18, 2018, the Placer County Office of the Sheriff-Coroner, Auburn, California, performed an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was attributed to multiple blunt injuries.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for all substances tested.

Location: Truckee, CA
Accident Number: WPR18FA198
Date & Time: 07/17/2018, 0734 PDT
Registration: N5329K
Aircraft: Ryan NAVION
Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On July 17, 2018, about 0734 Pacific daylight time, a Ryan Navion B airplane, N5329K, experienced a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from Truckee-Tahoe Airport (TRK), Truckee, California. The private pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries, and one passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was substantially damaged during the subsequent emergency landing. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to an audio recording provided by the Federal Aviation Administration between the pilot and the TRK air traffic control tower, shortly after takeoff from runway 11 and during the initial climb, the pilot reported to the controller that he had experienced a power failure and would be returning to the field. The controller cleared the pilot to land on any runway, followed by asking him if he needed assistance; the pilot did not reply. During the right turn the airplane lost altitude, impacted terrain in a flat attitude, and came to rest upright about 1 mile southeast of the departure end of runway 11.

The airplane was recovered to a secured facility for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Ryan
Registration: N5329K
Model/Series: NAVION B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Whittall-Scherfee Ken
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: TRK, 5901 ft msl
Observation Time: 0745 PDT
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 12°C / 6°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: Calm / ,
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.34 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Truckee, CA (TRK)
Destination: Truckee, CA (TRK)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal, 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 39.301944, -120.125278 (est)







TRUCKEE -- A small airplane crashed near Lake Tahoe on Tuesday, killing the pilot and a passenger and critically injuring the only other person on board the single-engine aircraft.

The pilot, who was declared dead at the scene, reported engine trouble shortly after takeoff. He was trying to make it back to the Truckee Tahoe Airport when the plane went down around 7:40 a.m., 10 minutes after it took off.


A hiker witnessed the plane crash on the west side of Highway 267.


The pilot was later identified as 60-year-old Kenneth Whittall-Scherfee, of Carmichael. He leaves behind a wife and son. According to friends, Whittall-Scherfee recently moved to the Tahoe area.


Two male passengers were flown by a medical helicopter to a Reno, Nevada, hospital with critical injuries. One of them later died, the Placer County Sheriff's Office said.


The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the cause of the crash.


"It's very unfortunate but every once in a while you could have a freak engine failure upon takeoff," said Corby Jahn.


Jahn, who is a pilot in training, says the 60-year-old pilot's piston aircraft has specific maintenance regulations.


"You're going to have certified mechanics working on this but at the end of the day it is a mechanical machine, which is subject to failure," Jahn said.


Jahn says flying conditions Tuesday morning from the airport were good. But when an emergency happens that soon after takeoff he says landing safely can be tough.


"You prepare the best you can for any potential scenario like that," Jahn said. "A lot of it is pilot skill. A huge part it is making sure the aircraft is safe to fly but accidents happen, unfortunately."


Traffic was delayed for several hours on the state highway connecting U.S. Interstate 80 to Lake Tahoe's north shore at Kings Beach.

Story and video ➤ https://fox40.com








SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Authorities have identified one of the two people killed in an early morning plane crash in Truckee.

The pilot, Ken Whittall-Scherfee, was an attorney from Carmichael.

“I think that was his greatest passion—besides his family—was flying,” said Wendy Phoenix, a longtime friend.

At 7:33 a.m. on Tuesday, the 60-year-old pilot took off in his single-engine plane. It was a scenic trip through Tahoe that Phoenix said he’d taken before.

“It was their retreat,” she said, referring to Ken and his wife. “It’s where they would go for skiing. They were big skiers. They would take their dog and go up and spend the long weekends there!”

Shortly after takeoff, Whittall-Scherfee issued a ‘mayday’ call. According to radio transcripts, the traffic control tower tried to make contact with the pilot but heard no response. Then, the tower asked another aircraft nearby to check the area for the Navion-B plane. A nearby hiker was able to give law enforcement the wrecked plane’s exact coordinates.

“Well, it’s devastating,” Phoenix said.

She told CBS13 Whittall-Scherfee supported local nonprofits and would often auction off or donate rides in his plane.

“He was very generous!” Phoenix said. “He took people out on his plane all the time!”

According to the California State Bar, Whittall-Scherfee was a bankruptcy lawyer with an office in Truckee and a graduate of the McGeorge School of Law.

“Ken was very, very caring, he loved his family,” Phoenix said. “He cared very much about his clients.”

Her daughter went to school with Ken’s son and she said the parents bonded over their children’s connections to the El Camino High School band.

“They were often doing events together and we became very good friends!” she told CBS13.

Neighbors say Whittall-Scherfee and his wife lived in Carmichael for years and described the couple as pleasant and neighborly.

And after 12 years of friendship, Phoenix said she’ll remember him most as the guy who liked good wine, unique cars and of course, a trip through the skies.

“I talked to my family, and we’re all there for them if they need us,” she said.

The plane went down in the Martis Creek Lake Wildlife Area near Mercer Flats between the mountain of Northstar and Highway 267. Investigators including the Placer County Sheriff’s office and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are still trying to figure out what may have gone wrong.

The two passengers were initially transported to a Reno hospital. One died from their injuries and has not yet been identified. The other is in the hospital recovering.

Story and video ➤ https://sacramento.cbslocal.com







4:02 p.m. update: 

The Placer County Sheriff's Office have identified the pilot who was killed in a plane crash Tuesday morning near the Truckee Tahoe Airport. 

The pilot was identified as 60-year-old Kenneth Whittall-Scherfee, of Carmichael, Calif., according to Dena Erwin, spokeswoman for the Placer County Sheriff's Office. 

Whittall-Scherfee was also the registered owner of the Navion-B plane. 

Erwin said two other people were on the plane and were taken to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno. One person died at the hospital. 

The condition of the other person was unknown as of Tuesday afternoon. 

11:15 a.m. update:

A second person has died as a result of a Tuesday morning plane crash near Truckee, according to the Placer County Sheriff's Office.

10:20 a.m. update:

The small plane that crashed one mile east of the Truckee Tahoe Airport went down minutes after taking off, according to Nick Brown of the Truckee Fire Protection District. 

The aircraft lifted off from the runway at approximately 7:33 a.m. and calls reporting the crash reached the dispatch center by 7:38 a.m., leaving just minutes for the pilot to react to engine troubles they reported shortly after takeoff. 

First responders were on scene within two minutes. 

The aircraft leveled out before hitting the ground, bystanders reported to police. 

The aircraft is resting on its belly and is mostly intact, Brown said. 

9:45 a.m. update:

Investigators and first responders were working their way around the small, white aircraft, which came to rest on its belly down an embankment just south of State Route 267. 

9:12 a.m. update: 

One person is dead and two were injured in a Tuesday morning plane crash near Truckee.

The three people were the only ones on board the plane when it crashed shortly after taking off near  at the Truckee Tahoe Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The single-engine Navion-B crashed just before 7:40 a.m. onto a field on the west side of Nevada 267, near Martis Valley, according to Dena Erwin, spokeswoman for the Placer County Sheriff's Office.

Erwin confirmed the fatality and injuries. Those who were injured were taken to a nearby hospital. Their identities were not immediately released.

The cause of the crash was under investigation by both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board. 

The pilot reported engine problems and was trying to return to Truckee Tahoe Airport when the crash occurred, according to FAA spokesman Ian Gregor.

8:35 a.m. update:

A small aircraft crashed this morning near Truckee shortly after taking off. 

The pilot of the aircraft reported engine trouble shortly after taking off from the Truckee Tahoe airport and then crashed into a meadow near Martis Dam Road and State Route 267, according to Officer Pete Mann of the California Highway Patrol. 

The condition of the pilot — or if there was anyone else in the aircraft — is unknown at this time. 

The crash is not impacting the road ways, but onlookers are slowing traffic and congesting the area. 

Original story:

The California Highway Patrol in Truckee say a plane has crashed near State Route 267 this morning between the town of Truckee and Northstar. 

Expect a slow down on SR-267 this morning between the Town of Truckee and Northstar due to a plane that crashed this morning.  

Lots of emergency personnel on scene.  Avoid the area if possible.

Story and video ➤ https://www.rgj.com

7 comments:

  1. Why would anyone, may I ask, try and fly an under-powered piston aircraft into mountainous terrain?

    Aviation is judgement, judgement, judgment - period!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do you know what you are talking about ? What does that have to do at all with an engine failure on takeoff ? The pilot did the right thing and did not try to do a 180 which would have killed all three of them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Anonymous,

    A) People died, don't be an ass.

    B) The temperature at 7:33 am was 49 degrees F, so density altitude was reasonable even at 5900 feet field elevation, and the Navion B has at least a 260 HP engine (many have been retrofitted with larger engines), which should be fine for hauling three people and full fuel out of Truckee. Its service ceiling is 18,000 feet.

    Yes, I used to regularly fly out of that airport (with a turbocharged piston plane with a service ceiling of 28,000 feet, and before that, occasionally in a 172 or 182 under the right conditions). An engine failure would be a problem in any plane.

    From the photos, it looks like the pilot flew it all the way to the ground, enabling his passengers to have a fighting chance at surviving.

    C) Don't be an ass.


    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Anonymous:
    The airplane was the very opposite of underpowered. I know. I owned N5329K before Mr Scherfee. The engine is a GO-480, 295 HP Lycoming (the original Navion engine was 185 HP). At max gross weight, the airplane just launched off the runway under hot high conditions. I flew it in and out of Truckee that way many times. Rarely did it require more than a few hundred feet to lift off. At sea level, max gross weight, starting at the runway end it would just levitate off in well under 100 feet.
    With the engine making power, with fuel delivery correct, with the HUGE three-blade prop turning, this airplane was more than capable of dealing with mountains. And Ken's tour route kept him away from high terrain, over relatively flat areas and the lake.
    You are barking up the wrong tree.
    Robin White

    ReplyDelete
  5. Stall speed, clean configuration, VS1 56 kt or Stall speed, landing configuration, VS0 43 kt ... even belted into the well structured Navion, at that speed, the impact is tremendous. The body goes from roughly 65 mph to nearly zero in seconds. Blunt Force Trauma !!

    ReplyDelete
  6. N5329K's stall speed, clean, was 48 MPH. Even lower with flaps. I practiced engine-out return th the runways many times, and knowing what was coming, I could make it from 800 AGL. Not knowing what was coming, spending a few seconds scanning the instruments, checking boost poump, etc, and losing energy by not pitching down immediately I'd say 1200-1500 AGL would be required, and maybe more depending on the winds. But a stall/spin out of a slow turn yields large vertical speeds. That's what the wreckage looks like to me. I'm anxious to hear what the NTSB says.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fly it into the crash as far as possible. Not that Ken wasn't doing that.

    ReplyDelete