Accident Overview
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight test pilot was fatally injured when he jumped from an aircraft that was seen spinning by three witnesses. The aircraft was the last in a series of flight tests intended to determine landing characteristics with a combination speed/STOL kit installed. The pilot failed to return from the mission, prompting a search. Witnesses observed the aircraft spinning and the pilot exiting at low altitude. Although the pilot was wearing a parachute, it was not deployed.
Evidence and Findings
Examination of the pilot's clothing revealed oil splatters that chemically matched the oil used as ballast in the aircraft. No oil containers were found near the pilot's body, which was located approximately 20 yards from the wreckage. The ballast was improperly secured and had not been inspected by the FAA. Additionally, the FAA inspector did not evaluate or provide instruction on the conduct of these flight tests. The owner of the aircraft reported having performed the same type of tests previously, but no records of those tests were available. The aircraft's exit door jettison function required three procedural steps for egress.
Conclusion
The accident investigation concluded that the ballast was improperly secured and not inspected by the FAA, and the FAA inspector did not evaluate or instruct on the test procedures. However, no explicit probable cause was stated in the source.