Christen A-1 N9602R

Summary

On 1 June 2007 at about 14:25 local time, a Christen A-1 registered N9602R, operated by United States Department of Agriculture, was involved in an accident near Loa, Utah, 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

1 June 2007 at 14:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Loa, Utah, United States

Coordinates

38.3967, -111.8208

Aircraft

Christen A-1

Registration

N9602R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

United States Department of Agriculture

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Richfield Muni → Loa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07GA142

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during low altitude maneuvering flight that resulted in a stall. The pilot's decision to operate the airplane at a center of gravity beyond the rear limit, the low altitude of the flight, and the high density altitude were contributing factors.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and gunner were participating in a low-level, aerial predatory control operation. They were operating over terrain that was approximately 8,300 feet above mean sea level. While maneuvering in a turn at slow airspeed to make an additional pass over an area with coyotes, the airplane impacted the ground with the right wing tip, and then came to rest inverted. A witness, who was working with the pilot from the ground, was in a drainage wash while the airplane circled overhead. They had just identified a coyote den and there were coyotes traversing up and down the wash. The airplane went out of the witness's view, and then the witness heard the impact of the airplane with the ground. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies was discovered. Weight and balance calculations showed that the airplane was out of its aft center of gravity limits by 1.6 inches, which would result in less stable flight characteristics, especially during slow flight. Previous accidents involving similar flight regimes have been associated with wake vortices encounters. Although it is possible that the airplane encountered its own wake vortices, this could not be determined with the available evidence. Based on standard atmospheric conditions and the temperatures at the closest reporting stations, the density altitude would have been about 10,000 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.