Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Douglas, Kansas
Thursday, September 18, 2008 11:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The purpose of the engineering test flight was to obtain an assessment of the special light sport airplane's spin characteristics. Sixteen spins, with the aircraft in four different configurations, were planned. The aircraft successfully completed the first configuration with a set of four spins. The pilot then completed three of the four spins in the second set of spin testing. With the aircraft at 10,000 feet, the pilot initiated a spin to the left. Once the spin was established, the pilot made the planned control inputs. Despite several attempts by the test pilot to recover the aircraft from the maneuver, the aircraft continued to spin. At the planned altitude of 6,000 feet, the pilot elected to deploy the aircraft's recovery parachute and pulled the chute's activation handle. The parachute did not deploy, and the aircraft continued to spin. The pilot then elected to jettison the cabin door, exit the airplane, and deploy his parachute. The airplane descended into terrain and was substantially damaged. During a subsequent review of flight test data, the airplane manufacturer discovered that an unrecoverable spin could develop in the prototype airplane. An examination of the aircraft's parachute system revealed that the rocket system used to deploy the chute had activated, however; the parachute failed to be pulled from its canister. The parachute's incremental cord was found, and inspected; the entire series of "bar tabs" were torn; an indication that the rocket motor pulled with its full force. The signatures observed on the parachute system and aircraft components were consistent with parachute system cable contacting the right flap cable/turn buckle cable during the rocket launch sequence, compromising the parachute's deployment.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The airplane's inability to recover from an intentional spin, despite proper control inputs by the flight test pilot. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the airplane's ballistic parachute system to properly deploy.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Douglas
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 372911N
Event Location Longitude 0965529W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25950
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 15 2009 3:25PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N162XP
NTSB Number DFW08FA234
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO
Aircraft Model E162
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 715001
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 12 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 133.6
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1 CESSNA BLVD DEPT 093
Aircraft Owner City WICHITA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67215-1400
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Cessna Aircraft Company
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Wichita
Operator State KS
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 67201
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Flight Test
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KCEA
Departure City Wichita
Departure State KS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KCEA
Destination City Wichita
Destination State KS
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 14 2009 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record hatc
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --