What happened
On May 29, 2010, a Beechcraft E55 Baron, registration N-554RB, was participating in a handicapped air race at the San Luis Aerodrome in Menorca. After taking off from runway 02, the pilot attempted to follow the race course, which required navigating around specific ground markers known as scatter points.
Following takeoff, the aircraft performed a left turn to align with the first scatter point at an altitude of approximately 200 feet. The pilot then initiated a second left turn to reach the next marker. During this maneuver, the aircraft's bank angle increased significantly, reaching nearly 90 degrees. The aircraft subsequently lost control and impacted the ground 250 meters from the runway centerline, resulting in an immediate explosion and fire. The impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft, and both the pilot and the passenger sustained fatal injuries.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path, the aircraft's performance, and the design of the race circuit. Video footage revealed that the aircraft completed a 180-degree turn in just eight seconds. Investigators analyzed the aerodynamic requirements of the maneuver, noting that at the observed bank angles, the stall speed of the aircraft would have increased significantly, likely exceeding the aircraft's actual airspeed at that low altitude.
Technical reviews of the aircraft showed it was properly licensed, certified, and had been fully refueled prior to the flight. The investigation also looked into the course design, noting that the first turn point was positioned very close to the end of the runway, which prevented the aircraft from gaining sufficient energy and altitude to execute the turns safely.