Incident Overview
On March 14, 2017, at 1835 local time, a U-28A aircraft (tail number 0724) crashed approximately one-quarter mile south of Clovis Municipal Airport in New Mexico. The aircraft, operated by the 318th Special Operations Squadron, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, was destroyed upon impact. All three crewmembers—Captain Andrew Becker (pilot), First Lieutenant Frederick Dellecker (copilot), and Captain Kenneth Dalga (combat systems officer)—died.
Flight History
The aircraft departed Cannon AFB at 1512 local for a mission involving tactical training over Lubbock, Texas, followed by pilot proficiency training at Clovis Municipal. The crew entered Lubbock airspace at 1545, completed tactical training, and departed for Clovis at 1735. At 1806, the crew entered the traffic pattern at Clovis Municipal and conducted multiple approaches and landings before executing the mishap maneuver—a practice turnback emergency landing pattern.
Mishap Maneuver
During the practice turnback pattern, the aircraft was configured with 0 degrees of flaps. This configuration led to increased nose-down attitudes and higher descent rates necessary to maintain a safe angle of attack compared to a 15-degree flap configuration. Additionally, stall speeds with 0 degrees flaps are 15 to 25 knots higher than with 15 degrees flaps, depending on bank angle. The crew was late in achieving the required bank angle to align with the runway centerline, resulting in an overshoot condition.
Loss of Control
To correct the excessive nose-down attitude, descent rate, and shallow bank, the crew pulled back on the yoke and increased bank angle. The resulting g-load from the pull, combined with the increased bank, slowed the aircraft below the 0-degree flap stall speed, causing it to depart controlled flight. Subsequent power increase and flight control inputs could not recover the aircraft from the stall within the remaining altitude. At no point during the maneuver did the aircraft's performance indicate an intent to abort.
Final Moments
The aircraft impacted the ground with a 13-degree nose-high, 7-degree left-wing low attitude. It was destroyed on impact, and all three occupants were killed. The Accident Investigation Board found no indications of mechanical malfunction.