The purpose of the flight was for the pilots to calibrate newly installed avionics in the Van’s RV-6.
The owner of the airplane was seated in the right seat, while the other pilot, who was acting as pilot-in-command for the flight, was in the left seat.
After takeoff, the pilot handed off controls to the owner and requested that the owner perform two 360° turns while he calibrated the equipment. After the two turns, the owner let go of the flight controls and the pilot manipulated the controls to demonstrate the functioning of the g-meter.
Both the pilot and the owner believed the other was flying the airplane after this demonstration.
After deciding that they would return to the departure airport, the airplane was flying low and almost hit the ground twice.
On both occasions, the pilot pulled up, then once again let go of the controls believing that the owner was flying the airplane.
Both expressed discomfort with how the other was flying the airplane, but neither communicated their concerns to the other in a way that was understood, nor did either confirm who was flying the airplane.
The third time the airplane neared terrain, the owner called for the pilot to pull up just as the pilot was about to take control of the airplane.
The airplane then hit a field near Milton, Delaware, flipped over, and came to rest inverted.
The fuselage, wings, and empennage of the airplane sustained substantial damage. Both the pilot and owner sustained minor injuries.
Probable Cause: The pilot and owner’s failure to adequately communicate and establish an understanding of who was flying the airplane, and their failure to take timely action to avoid a collision with terrain.
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This August 2020 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.
Communication, You have the aircraft. I have the aircraft. Simple. Or whatever you say it changes who will be flying and has the controls. Something sounds and smells fishey….
maybe not … about the fish. my dorm room mate in Engineering School took me up in a Pitts 2 seater so many years ago. he had an instructor’s rating. he let me fly it for a little while after about 10 or 15 minutes of everything including an outside loop. for about 40 seconds or so he thought i was flying, and i thought he was flying – a very nice, calm, graceful climbing turn to the left. that extra 4 or 5 thousand agl made all the difference.
i wonder what the max value recorded by the g meter was …. Doh !
So, more ‘stupid pilot tricks’, or, no pilot -> airplane crashes.! [ it’s not an accident ].
Neither of these guys noticed that the other didn’t have a hand on the stick.? Amazing.
So, will the insurance company pay the $100k on the totaled aircraft.?
A continuation/repeat of last week’s story…I guess the original reponses weren’t snarky enough.
I agree with you–it’s hard to imagine that scenario: “Hey, we’re diving at the ground…I’m not touching the stick…and…you’re not touching the stick…and we don’t have a back seat…so…what’s wrong with this picture…hmmmm…?”
To be unequivocal: This rises to whole new level of dumb.
They were extremely lucky; glad the weren’t seriously hurt. Wonder if they are still buddies?
sorry about the spelling errors…I promise to stop texting while driving…
If this was a tandem-seat aircraft it might be a little easier to understand this accident. But if you are sitting side-by-side, how can you not notice that the other guy is not flying the plane?? Especially after you nearly hit the ground twice!