Vertical Unlimited 12 N2BJ

Summary

On 20 August 2011 at about 18:41 local time, a Vertical Unlimited 12 registered N2BJ, operated by Vertical Unlimited LLC, was involved in an accident near Kansas City, Missouri, 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

20 August 2011 at 18:41

Classification

Accident

Location

Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Charles B. Wheeler Downtown (MKC)

Coordinates

39.1231, -94.5928

Aircraft

Vertical Unlimited 12

Registration

N2BJ

Category

Airplane

Year built

2009

Engines

1

Operator

Vertical Unlimited LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Air Race/Show

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kansas City → Kansas City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11LA582

1 person died.

The pilot's impairment during an aerobatic airshow performance for reasons that could not be determined based on available information, which resulted in an in-flight loss of airplane control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident occurred during an air show performance. Video footage and photographs of the final portion of the accident routine revealed that the airplane exited a Lomcevak maneuver into a right-hand, inverted spin. The pilot recovered from the inverted spin, but the airplane immediately entered a left upright spin. (Most of the time, a recovery from the Lomcevak maneuver would be straight ahead, but occasionally recovery from an inverted spin would be necessary.) The airplane appeared to yaw left during the final descent, completing about 1 1/2 revolutions before impacting the ground and then coming to rest upright. The photographs indicated that the airplane was intact; however, the elevators were deflected upward, which was inconsistent with a spin recovery. The pilot's friend reported that the pilot appeared to initiate the Lomcevak maneuver more aggressively than he had seen during previous airshow performances. Another friend, who had trained with the pilot and was familiar with the routine, reported that the Lomcevak maneuver completed during the accident flight included an extra rotation. All major airframe components were observed in place relative to the overall airframe. A postaccident examination of the airplane and a teardown examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. No evidence of an in-flight structural failure was observed. Toxicology testing indicated the distant use of Valium by the pilot; however, it is not likely to have been directly impairing at the time of the accident. A review of the pilot's medical records indicated that he had sought treatment for vertigo after feeling off-balance and nauseated while conducting aerobatics; additionally, the pilot reported that he had fallen after getting out of the airplane. An initial medical evaluation was conducted, and further treatment was prescribed; however, the records indicated that the pilot did not return for treatment. In addition, autopsy results revealed that the pilot suffered from severe coronary artery disease and had an enlarged heart and a congenital valve anomaly. Histology of the right and left ventricle walls was consistent with myocardial ischemia. These conditions placed the pilot at an increased risk of an acute coronary event, including a cardiac arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death, although insufficient evidence exists to determine whether the pilot experienced an acute cardiac event at the time of the accident. The extent that vertigo might have caused the accident could not be determined; however, the persistence of the vertigo symptoms after completion of aerobatic maneuvers suggested that it might have played a role in the pilot's loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.