North American T6 N47LF

Summary

On 6 March 2010 at about 18:36 local time, a North American T6 registered N47LF was involved in an accident near Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 March 2010 at 18:36

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, United States

Coordinates

30.3447, -86.2797

Aircraft

North American T6

Registration

N47LF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Destin → Destin

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10FA163

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a low altitude,over water aerobatic maneuver, which resulted in an aggravated stall/spin. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's loss of situational awareness and his decision to perform aerobatics at a low altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident airplane was number 5 in a five-plane, in-trail, over water formation. The flight leader estimated that the formation was about 500 feet above the water, and a trail pilot estimated that the airplanes were about 2,000 yards apart. The formation was headed eastbound, along a beach. A video clip revealed that some of the airplanes completed aileron rolls. When the number 5 airplane attempted a left aileron roll, it reached a 180-degree (completely upside down) position with the nose dropping to about 10 degrees below the horizon. As the airplane continued through about 225 degrees, at an estimated 15-degrees nose low attitude, it began a turn to the right while still continuing the left roll. As the airplane reached a southerly heading, away from the beach, it passed through about 315 degrees of the left roll (right wing still 45-degrees down.) The roll suddenly reversed, the wings briefly went vertical (left wing up, right wing down), and the nose dropped, indicative of a stall. As the airplane continued rolling to the right, it appeared to go slightly inverted. It then descended into the water about 90-degrees nose low, with the top of the airplane facing the beach. The right wingtip was the first part of the airplane to strike the water, and as it did, the angle of the wings in relation to the horizon was about 45 degrees. No objects were observed departing the airplane during the maneuver, and no distress calls were noted by any of the other pilots. Although the airplane was recovered in pieces, no preexisting mechanical anomalies were noted. Propeller damage indicated the likelihood that the engine was powered at impact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.