THE STUDENT PLT WAS SHOWING OFF TO HIS RELATIVE WITH VERT REVERSES AND LOW PASSES. DURING A VERT REVERSE THE PA18 ENTERED A SPIN. THE RPTR SCARED HIMSELF AND LANDED AT THE NEAREST ARPT.
Synopsis
THE STUDENT PLT WAS SHOWING OFF TO HIS RELATIVE WITH VERT REVERSES AND LOW PASSES. DURING A VERT REVERSE THE PA18 ENTERED A SPIN. THE RPTR SCARED HIMSELF AND LANDED AT THE NEAREST ARPT.
Narrative
I WAS FLYING OVER THE CITY OF MEADVILLE ON FEB/SUN/96 AT AN ALT OF APPROX 1200 FT ABOVE THE GND. I WAS TRACKING A COURSE E AND W FLYING ABOVE A HOUSE OF A RELATIVE. THE RELATIVE'S VIEW OF ME WAS OBSCURED IN ALL DIRECTIONS BUT ON E AND W COURSES. I CONTINUED TO MAKE 180 DEG TURNS TO STAY ON THAT COURSE. AFTER 3 OR 4 PASSES AND TURNS (THE TURNS WERE COMPOSED OF CLBING AND R RUDDER THEN DSNDING) MY AIRSPD ROSE SUFFICIENTLY AS TO NECESSITATE A REDUCTION IN THROTTLE. ON THE PASS I GLIDED AND INITIATED A 180 DEG CLBING TURN. I DID NOT ADVANCE THE THROTTLE AND THEN FOUND MYSELF IN AN UNINTENTIONAL STALL/SPIN CLOCKWISE SIT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WERE TAKEN TO STABILIZE ACFT AND MAINTAIN LEVEL FLT AGAIN; BUT AFTER SIGNIFICANT ALT LOSS; I DSNDED BELOW THE MSA FOR FLT ABOVE A CONGESTED AREA; TO APPROX 300 FT ABOVE GND LEVEL. I THEN CLBED ABOVE THE RECOMMENDED ALT AND PROCEEDED TO LAND AT PORT MEADVILLE ARPT (2G6). THIS EVENT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING AND COMPLETELY UNINTENTIONAL. I BELIEVE IT WAS CAUSED BY CLBING WITHOUT SUFFICIENT THROTTLE SETTING AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF AIRSPD AT A CRITICAL ATTITUDE. I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER BY NEUTRALIZING CTLS AND APPLYING L RUDDER TO STOP THE SPIN. I THEN USED ELEVATOR TO INITIATE A CLB; ALONG WITH SUFFICIENT THROTTLE TO GAIN ALT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.