Amateur-built S6 N2181K accident near Bridgeport, California

Probable cause

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering and his improper decision to maneuver low over a home, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at too low of an altitude to recover.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot reported that, as he was nearing his destination and the end of a cross-country, personal flight, he flew over his parents' home. The pilot stated that, after passing over the home, he made a sharp right turn and that the airplane then stalled with insufficient altitude to recover and descended to the ground.

Examination of the accident site revealed impact marks consistent with the airplane colliding with terrain in a nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack while making the sharp right turn, which led to an aerodynamic stall at too low of an altitude to recover.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR16LA136 for the full record.