Bend Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bend, Oregon 97701
Sunday, June 5, 1983 13:56 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

UPON COMPLETION OF HIS ROUTINE DURING AN AIRSHOW, THE PLT STATED TO THE SHOW ANNOUNCER THAT HE WOULD DO A LOW PASS DOWN THE RWY FOLLOWED BY A VERTICAL CLIMB TO A HAMMERHEAD STALL & THEN INTO A LOMCEVAK AEROBATIC MANEUVER. THIS MANEUVER IS ACLIMBING OUTSIDE SNAP ROLL THAT IS PERFORMED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE ACFT'S UPWARD INERTIA OVERCOMES ITS NORMAL AERODYNAMIC SNAP ROLL TENDENCIES, CAUSING IT TO TUMBLE END-OVER-END BRIEFLY BEFORE IT DETERIORATES INTO A FLAT INVERTED SPIN. ENTRY INTO THE MANEUVER WITH ACFT SUCH AS THE EAGLE IIIS AT AN ALTITUDE OF AT LEAST 1,000 AGL AT SEA LEVEL. THE ENTRY ALTITUDE MUST BE INCREASED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE REDUCTION OF THE ACFT'S VERTICAL PENETRATION WHICH OCCURS WHEN THE MANEUVER IS PERFORMED AT HIGHER ALTITUDES. A VIDEOTAPE OF THE ACCIDENT SHOWED THAT THE PLT INITIATED THE MANEUVER ATA PULL-UP ALTITUDE OF 500-600 FT AGL. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ALTITUDE THAT THE PLT ENTERED THE MANEUVER WAS 6,800 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/5/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1356
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BEND
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97701
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BEND MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID S07
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3452
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID RDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3077
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 45
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 387
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20462
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4GT
NTSB Number SEA83FYK04
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HOMEBUILT
Aircraft Model CHRISTEN EAGLE II
Aircraft Series Identifier CHRISTEN E
Aircraft Serial Number T-0033
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 31 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 366
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GERALD VIRGIL THOM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16118 W. HOFFELDT
Aircraft Owner City HARBOR
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97415
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1346
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 3803
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --