Pipistrel ALPHA TRAINER N227PF

Summary

On 8 October 2020 at about 20:15 local time, a Pipistrel ALPHA TRAINER registered N227PF, operated by Piedmont Flight Training, was involved in an accident near Rural Hall, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 October 2020 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Rural Hall, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

36.2727, -80.2936

Aircraft

Pipistrel ALPHA TRAINER

Registration

N227PF

Category

Airplane

Year built

2019

Engines

1

Operator

Piedmont Flight Training

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Winston Salem → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA014

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control and improper recovery from an unusual attitude, which resulted in an in-flight breakup.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane was at 5,000 ft and an engine power setting of 5,000 rpm when he began to pitch and roll to practice a chandelle. At the start of the control inputs for the maneuver, he looked down at his kneeboard and personal electronic device and readjusted its position on his leg and around the control stick. The pilot advised that during this time, he may have released the backpressure on the control stick but continued the turn. While focused on the kneeboard he heard the engine rpm increase, then looked up and realized that the airplane had entered an unusual attitude. During this same time, he became disoriented and tried to correct visually, instead of by reference to the instruments. As such, he inadvertently increased the rate of descent and was unable to determine the airplane’s position as it rapidly gained airspeed. He then heard a “pop” sound and deployed the airplane’s ballistic recovery system (BRS). The BRS system’s parachute deployed successfully, and the airplane came to rest in trees without its left wing. The outboard section of the left wing was subsequently recovered; however, the inboard section was not found. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.