Accident Sequence
The accident occurred during a morning departure from Mojave-Kern County Airport. The crew was executing a series of tests on the new Bombardier prototype. While at cruising altitude, an unscheduled stall was performed, and the aircraft reached an angle of attack of 34°. Control was lost, and the airplane entered a dive. All three crew members evacuated the aircraft via parachute. The airplane subsequently crashed in a desert area. Two crew members sustained injuries, while the third occupant died because his parachute failed to deploy properly.
Investigation
Official investigation into the accident identified the probable cause and contributing factors. The findings highlighted technical problems with instruments and equipment leading to an emergency descent and subsequent uncontrolled collision with the ground.
Probable Cause
The probable cause was determined to be an uncontrolled collision with the ground following an emergency descent due to technical problems with instruments and equipment. Contributing factors included:
- Angle of attack indicator issues (binding)
- Deteriorated seals in the hydraulic system
- Unknown failure in the emergency chute jettison system