Aircraft: Avid Flyer MK4. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Waxhaw, N.C. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.
What reportedly happened: According to several eyewitnesses who were pilots, the pilot of the airplane initiated a go-around about 30 feet above ground level.
The airplane had about a 30° nose-up attitude at first, then the pitch attitude increased. When the plane was at treetop level, the plane pitched nose down, entered a spin, and crashed.
Another witness indicated that the engine maintained power throughout the accident sequence.
Investigators determined that it is likely, considering the close proximity of the recorded groundspeed data to the published stall speed, that the airplane speed during the go-around decreased below the stall speed, which resulted in a low-altitude aerodynamic stall.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an attempted go-around, which resulted in a low-altitude aerodynamic stall.
NTSB Identification: ERA12FA256
This March 2012 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
