Cessna Aircraft Co E162 N162XP accident near Douglas, Kansas

Probable cause

The airplane's inability to recover from an intentional spin, despite proper control inputs by the flight test pilot. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the airplane's ballistic parachute system to properly deploy.

NTSB analysis

The purpose of the engineering test flight was to obtain an assessment of the special light sport airplane's spin characteristics. Sixteen spins, with the aircraft in four different configurations, were planned. The aircraft successfully completed the first configuration with a set of four spins. The pilot then completed three of the four spins in the second set of spin testing. With the aircraft at 10,000 feet, the pilot initiated a spin to the left. Once the spin was established, the pilot made the planned control inputs. Despite several attempts by the test pilot to recover the aircraft from the maneuver, the aircraft continued to spin. At the planned altitude of 6,000 feet, the pilot elected to deploy the aircraft's recovery parachute and pulled the chute's activation handle. The parachute did not deploy, and the aircraft continued to spin. The pilot then elected to jettison the cabin door, exit the airplane, and deploy his parachute. The airplane descended into terrain and was substantially damaged. During a subsequent review of flight test data, the airplane manufacturer discovered that an unrecoverable spin could develop in the prototype airplane. An examination of the aircraft's parachute system revealed that the rocket system used to deploy the chute had activated, however; the parachute failed to be pulled from its canister. The parachute's incremental cord was found, and inspected; the entire series of "bar tabs" were torn; an indication that the rocket motor pulled with its full force. The signatures observed on the parachute system and aircraft components were consistent with parachute system cable contacting the right flap cable/turn buckle cable during the rocket launch sequence, compromising the parachute's deployment.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for DFW08FA234 for the full record.