Bellanca 8KCAB N278ML

Summary

On 14 December 1996 at about 23:20 local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB registered N278ML, operated by Skinner Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Eagle Point, Oregon, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 December 1996 at 23:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Eagle Point, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

42.4598, -122.6597

Aircraft

Bellanca 8KCAB

Registration

N278ML

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Skinner Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ashland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA97FA037

1 person died.

The failure of the first pilot (flight instructor) to initiate proper aircraft control, and his failure to perform the adequate remedial action to recover from an intentional inverted spin.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The aerobatics flight instructor (first pilot) intentionally entered an inverted left spin (using left rudder) to demonstrate the maneuver to his student (second pilot). The instructor was unable to recover from the spin after about 5 or 6 rotations, so he asked the student to help him. The student stated that he applied full right rudder and noted that it was already in the full right travel position. The student also stated that the instructor was probably not 'on the controls' at the time, and that engine power was reduced at spin initiation and did not change. The instructor subsequently told the student to bail out, which he did successfully about 250 feet above the ground. The airplane, with the instructor still strapped in the rear seat, impacted the ground and was destroyed. An examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical deficiencies. The rudder was found in the full left (left pedal) position at the accident site, and one propeller blade exhibited damage typical with some applied power at impact. The instructor had about 18 hours of total time in type, and had not flown during the previous 30 days. The airplane was 52 pounds over gross weight at the time of accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.