History of Flight
On November 15, 2023, about 1040 central standard time, an Xtremeair GMBH XA42, N42XM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Union City, Tennessee. The private pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.
The airplane was recently purchased by the private pilot and two other pilots. The flight instructor provided instruction to all three owners for familiarization and to meet insurance requirements. The intention was to meet insurance requirements and increase each pilot’s proficiency. The other two co-owners witnessed the accident and their description of events was consistent throughout.
The airplane departed on the accident flight from Everett-Stewart Regional Airport (UCY), Union City, Tennessee, completed traffic pattern work at a nearby airport, and returned to UCY to perform aerobatic maneuvers in the airport’s aerobatic “box.” The co-owners observed the airplane’s approach and entry into the box and described the engine sound as smooth and continuous throughout.
One of the co-owners stated that the airplane was flying north to south and was conducting an “avalanche” maneuver, which comprised a loop during which a snap roll is performed at the top. He estimated that the airplane entered the maneuver at about 1,200 ft agl and reached the top at about 2,000 ft agl. He stated that the roll continued through 540° instead of 360°, and the airplane was upright when it should have been inverted. The airplane slowed considerably, the engine was at full power, and the gyroscopic effect of the propeller pulled the nose down, with no airspeed, causing a spin. After the spin rotation stopped, a secondary spin developed until ground contact. He estimated the descent attitude at 75° nose-down.
The other co-owner stated that the engine “sounded great” during entry. During the snap roll, “the nose did an extra rotation in the roll axis,” and the airplane stopped upright and yawed left. He suggested it might have entered a “gyroscopic tumble” before a 1.25-turn spin. The airplane recovered from the spin about 500 ft agl, and the co-owner speculated the pilots may have “tried to pull out” before entering another spin. He recalled the engine was at full power initially but could not recall the sound during the fully developed spin.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third class medical certificate was issued on May 23, 2022. He reported 650 total hours of flight experience on that date. Initial examination of excerpts from the pilot’s logbook could not reconcile his total experience; however, 6 flights totaling 8 hours of experience in the accident airplane were recorded between November 1 and 14, 2023.
The flight instructor held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiple type ratings and a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine, multi-engine, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA first class medical certificate was issued on July 25, 2023. He reported 6,800 total hours of flight experience on that date. His pilot logbook was not located, and his total flight experience in the accident airplane make and model was not determined.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest upright on flat terrain in a solar farm on the west side of UCY. It rested in its initial impact crater on a 325° heading, consistent with the vertical descent described by the witnesses.
Both cockpit areas were deformed, and the composite structure was fractured throughout. The wings were fractured and partially separated at their roots but attached by structure, wires, and push-pull tubes. The empennage remained largely intact. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers, rudder, and elevator were all damaged by impact. Flight control continuity could not be established initially due to impact forces impinging controls against structure. Once the airplane was lifted and wings and structure were separated, continuity was confirmed from controls through several breaks to surfaces, with all fractures consistent with overstress.
Both main fuel tanks, the “Acro” fuel tank, and the fuel header tank were breached by impact and did not contain fuel. Fuel was ponded in the impact depression beneath the left wing.
The engine was partially buried in its crater. Two of three propeller blades were fractured at their roots; all three showed chordwise smearing (mud). The engine starter case showed rotational smearing and scoring in the arc of the starter ring gear.
The oil sump was fractured. The fuel servo was separated but remained attached by cabling and lines. The inlet screen contained fuel and was absent of water and debris.
The engine was separated and examined at the scene. Crankshaft rotation confirmed continuity through powertrain, valvetrain, and accessory section. Compression was confirmed on each cylinder via thumb method. Magnetos were secure but damaged; they produced spark at all leads when rotated with a drill.
The fuel selector handle was mounted in the aft cockpit and connected to a valve near the firewall. The control tube was fractured; the handle moved freely. The valve was removed; compressed air flowed freely from the “Acro” inlet to the engine outlet. Left and right main ports were occluded.
Flight Recorders
The airplane was equipped with an EI MVP-50P engine display that recorded parameters. The last session from 9:39:58 to 10:39:50 CST on November 15, 2023, was identified as the accident flight.
It was also equipped with a Garmin GPSMAP 695 portable GPS. A detailed tracklog was stored, but all recorded dates had a 7,168-day offset due to GPS week number rollover. The last session corresponded to the accident, with the last data point about 970 ft from the reported wreckage location.
The data showed that just before entering the last maneuver, the airplane’s GPS altitude was a minimum of 1,135 ft. The last recorded data point showed GPS altitude 1,693 ft and derived groundspeed 49 kts. At the last recorded engine parameter, parameters were consistent with previous aerobatic flights.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Obion County Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death for both occupants as blunt force injuries and the manner as accident.
Toxicological testing on the flight instructor found no tested-for substances.
Testing on the private pilot detected Atorvastatin, Ibuprofen, Lisinopril, and Diclofenac. No medications posed a hazard to flight safety.