What happened
During a scheduled flight test at the Latrobe Valley airfield, a prototype GA-8 was conducting maneuvers under a permit to fly issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The aircraft had been specifically configured for spin testing, featuring a tail-mounted anti-spin parachute, a jettisonable pilot's door, and various fixed and removable ballast weights. For this particular mission, the aircraft was operating at its maximum weight with an extreme aft center of gravity, full power, and flaps fully extended from an initial altitude of 9,000 feet.
To initiate the test, the pilot utilized full left rudder and full right aileron inputs to enter a spin. Following the onset of the left-hand spin, the pilot attempted standard recovery procedures, but the aircraft failed to respond to control inputs. As the descent continued, the pilot attempted to lighten the load by jettisoning the ballast and deploying the anti-spin parachute at 6,500 feet. When the aircraft continued to spin, the pilot released the jettisonable door and exited the aircraft at approximately 5,200 feet. The pilot successfully cleared the aircraft before it reached 3,600 feet.
Although the aircraft was observed to cease its rotation at 1,800 feet, it continued its descent and struck the ground at 1,800 feet, resulting in the total destruction of the aircraft. The single occupant survived the event, sustaining minor injuries upon landing.
Findings
- The aircraft was configured with an extreme aft center of gravity for the purpose of testing spin characteristics.
- Standard recovery techniques were ineffective during the initial stages of the maneuver.