Too Many Gs
From a spotter:
The video "Too Many Gs" in the Airshows directory struck a memory chord with me (no mean feat--I've currently got two active brain cells, and they're arguing over which one gets to take early retirement).
The plane is a Partenavia P68C. The crash was during an airshow in Plainview, TX. The pilot was a sales rep giving a aerial demonstration that included high-G maneuvers in a plane not designed for them. I remember this from an "After the Fall" column in FLYING some twenty years back.
The NTSB summary is: NTSB Identification: FTW83FA424. The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 21677. 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Accident occurred Sunday, September 11, 1983 in PLAINVIEW, TX Aircraft:
PARTENAVIA P68C, registration: N29561 Injuries: 1 Fatal.
THE PILOT WAS EXECUTING A HIGH SPEED PASS OVER THE RWY AT ABOUT 250 FT AGL. THE PILOT THEN BEGAN A RAPID PULL-UP & BOTH WINGS SEPARATED JUST OUTBOARD OF THE ENG NACELLES.
RECONSTRUCTION OF THE SEQUENCE FROM A VIDEOTAPE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S SPEED AT THE TIME OF THE WING SEPARATIONS WAS 220 KTS. VNE FOR THE AIRCRAFT IS 193 KTS. IT WAS CALCULATED THAT, AT 220 KTS & AN 8 DEG NOSE-UP PITCH, THE 'G' LOAD AT THE TIME OF THE WING SEPARATIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN 8.3 G'S.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION IMPROPER: PILOT IN COMMAND
OVERCONFIDENCE IN AIRCRAFT'S ABILITY. PILOT IN COMMAND
AIRSPEED..EXCEEDED: PILOT IN COMMAND
WING OVERLOAD. DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF AIRCRAFT EXCEEDED: PILOT IN COMMAND
Contributing Factors WING FAILURE, TOTAL WING SEPARATION.
The really tragic thing about the video is the woman screaming in the background over the PA. It is the pilot's wife, who also served as narrator during the routine.
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