Douglas A Pohl LANCAIR IV-P N488SD

Summary

On 7 July 2008 at about 21:55 local time, a Douglas A Pohl LANCAIR IV-P registered N488SD, operated by Douglas A Pohl, was involved in an accident near Hollywood, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 July 2008 at 21:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Hollywood, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

North Perry Airport (HWO)

Coordinates

26.0067, -80.2406

Aircraft

Douglas A Pohl LANCAIR IV-P

Registration

N488SD

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Douglas A Pohl

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hollywood → Jupiter

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA08LA134

1 person died.

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the experimental amateur-built airplane rotate about 2,100 feet (ft) down the 3,255-foot-long runway. When the airplane reached an altitude of 150 ft, at the departure end of the runway, there was an interruption of engine power. The airplane was observed to make a left turn and the bank angle increased. The airplane stalled when it reached about 80 degrees of bank, as it was going through a north heading. The airplane went straight down and impacted the ground nose first in a left spiral. A fire soon ensued, which consumed sections of the airplane. Examination of the wreckage did not disclose any evidence of a preimpact failure or malfunction with the airplane’s flight controls that would have prevented normal operation. Examination of the engine did not provide any evidence for the loss of power. Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 61-67C, makes reference to stalls. It states, when the airplane’s load factor increase (i.e., by putting the airplane in a steep turn or spiral) the loads are greater than in normal cruise flight. In a constant rate turn, increased load factors will cause an airplane's stall speed to increase as the angle of bank increases. Excessively steep banks should be avoided because the airplane will stall at a much higher speed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.