On July 8, 1989, a Piper PA-18 (registration N2336J) was involved in an aviation accident near Roscommon, MI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT WHILE MANEUVERING AND THE FAILURE TO PERFORM REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PIC. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane collided with terrain during an out-of-control descent, with witnesses reporting a sudden climb, wing drop, and spin. The pilot had been treated for sunburn six days prior and was exposed to sun canoeing the day before. No mechanical defects were found.
Accident Details
An airplane collided with terrain during an out-of-control descent. Witnesses observed the airplane suddenly climb before dropping one wing and spinning into the ground. A pilot-rated witness in another airplane described a multiple-turn spin prior to impact.
Pilot Background
The pilot had been treated and released from a hospital emergency room for a thermal injury (sunburn) six days before the accident. The pilot had spent another full day exposed to the sun canoeing with friends on the day preceding the accident.
Aircraft Examination
Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed no mechanical defects with either the airframe or powerplant.
What happened in the 8 Jul 1989 Piper PA-18 accident near Roscommon, MI?
An airplane collided with terrain during an out-of-control descent, with witnesses reporting a sudden climb, wing drop, and spin. The pilot had been treated for sunburn six days prior and was exposed to sun canoeing the day before. No mechanical defects were found.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 8 Jul 1989 involved a Piper PA-18, registration N2336J, at Roscommon, MI.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT WHILE MANEUVERING AND THE FAILURE TO PERFORM REMEDIAL ACTION BY THE PIC.
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