The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute (ASI) has released a new video from its Early Analysis series providing an initial examination of a tragic accident that took the life of a pilot competing in a STOL contest.
On May 20, 2022, a Cessna 140 crashed at the MayDay STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) event in Wayne, Nebraska. While no injuries on the ground were reported, the pilot, Tom Dafoe, the only occupant in the aircraft, died.
The winds were too strong to hold the event, which would have been a STOL Drag competition, a test of speed and precision measured by time and combined takeoff and landing distance.
While STOL Drag officials canceled their competition, Dafoe and other pilots decided to fly a traditional STOL demonstration where pilots fly a typical box pattern, keeping the takeoff and landing distance as short as possible.
“In Early Analysis: N76075, the AOPA Air Safety Institute wants to help pilots understand what is known about the accident. We look at factors that are likely to be the subject of an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB),” said AOPA’s ASI Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden. “It appeared Dafoe’s Cessna 140 made an S-turn for spacing behind a Zenith 701 to compensate for the Cessna’s faster speed, leading to a stall/spin accident.”
“A lesson general aviation pilots can take away from this accident is to always have a Plan B when following closely behind a slower aircraft — including breaking off and performing a go-around,” he continued.
He noted it is important to remember the video was made solely on information that is currently available to provide an understanding of the accident.
“The NTSB can conclude further information through their investigation that was previously unknown, which could alter our understanding of this accident,” he said.
Early Analysis videos provide an initial assessment of prominent mishaps that generate large public interest and may indicate important safety lessons for the general aviation community, AOPA officials explained.
You can see the new video here and the entire Early Analysis series here.
I preferred when AOPA let the engine oil cool before posting accident analysis.
AOPA does a stellar job recounting and analyzing accidents with NTSB report information. They tie in outside references to provide a well-rounded presentation. I hate that they are jumping on the bandwagon of early conjecture before the process has run its course. Is this some sort of attempt to keep up with the YouTube commentators? Because if so, that’s not something I’d strive for.
Get down to it this probably violates more regs than Red Bull.
Oh yeah? Name one!