Boeing A75 N19BB accident near Delta, Colorado

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of control during an aerobatic maneuver, resulting in the airplane impacting terrain.

NTSB analysis

The pilot took off and proceeded to an area northeast of the airport where he began performing aerobatic maneuvers. Witnesses reported that the airplane began a loop maneuver and, at the top of the loop while inverted, the airplane entered a flat spin. They observed the airplane recover from the spin. The airplane then gained altitude and entered another loop. At the top of that loop, while inverted, the airplane entered another flat spin, but this time the pilot did not recover. The airplane descended to impact with rugged terrain. The witnesses reported that the engine could be heard running during the descent to the point of impact.

A postaccident examination revealed no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot had used the sedating antihistamine diphenhydramine, which has a potential to cause cognitive and psychomotor slowing and drowsiness. There was insufficient evidence to determine whether the pilot was experiencing impairing diphenhydramine effects at the time of the crash, and no specific evidence that pilot impairment contributed to the crash.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN21FA424 for the full record.