Bellanca 8KCAB N8659V

Summary

On 15 June 2000 at about 19:25 local time, a Bellanca 8KCAB registered N8659V was involved in an accident near San Jose, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 June 2000 at 19:25

Classification

Accident

Location

San Jose, California, United States

Coordinates

37.2314, -121.6658

Aircraft

Bellanca 8KCAB

Registration

N8659V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Jose → San Jose

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX00FA231

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane for undetermined reasons while intentionally performing an aerobatic maneuver.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an aerobatic maneuver, the airplane impacted level terrain while in a descending, steep bank, right turn. On a clear day, the renter pilot acquired a parachute from the flight school and departed with the intent of performing aerobatic maneuvers during his pleasure flight. He had recently received a promotion at work. There were no communications with the pilot after he departed the airport. His route of flight, maneuvers performed, and altitudes utilized could not be determined. The airplane was not transponder equipped. About 50 minutes after takeoff, a witness observed the airplane between 400 and 500 feet above ground level in a medium bank descending right turn. The bank angle increased to about 60 degrees, and the witness lost contact with the airplane when his view became obstructed by ground objects/terrain. The accident site was located the following day. Wreckage was observed fragmented over a 115-foot-long path. The pilot was found lap-belted and shoulder harnessed in his seat with a fully stowed parachute. The cockpit door's emergency release pin assembly, which when utilized separates the entire door from the fuselage, was found seated. No evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or in-flight part separations were detected during the subsequent wreckage examination. The pilot had no physical limitations or reported physiological impairments. No evidence of drugs was found in toxicological specimens. The airplane was FAA certificated in the acrobatic category and was designed to withstand 6 positive and 5 negative Gs. The adverse effects of acceleration-induced G-force to a pilot's physiology while maneuvering within this range have been documented by the FAA and other organizations. Identified possible impairments include reduced vision to loss of consciousness (G-LOC). The effects of G-LOC may last 30 seconds and result in a loss of airplane control. A pilot who has recently been exposed to elevated G-loads may have increased tolerance to its effect. The pilot's flight record logbook indicated that he had not flown the Decathlon or performed aerobatics in 5 months.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.