Amateur-built RV8 N800KE accident near Langley, Washington

Probable cause

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a loss of control at an altitude too low for recovery.

NTSB analysis

The pilot and passenger departed on a personal flight to a nearby airport. Video footage captured by an on-board camera revealed that, while in the traffic pattern at a groundspeed of 77 knots, the sound of the engine's power sharply decreased, and the pilot's hand movement was consistent with a power reduction. The airplane's elevator control surfaces were consistent with the pilot commanding positive pitch to the airplane.

For the next few seconds, the airplane continued in a left turn; the sound of the engine was consistent with a power increase. Shortly thereafter, the left wing dropped rapidly, and the nose of the airplane began falling through the horizon. The airplane's left bank continued to increase. The airplane descended toward the ground in a left bank about 90° until the airplane impacted terrain about 2,000 ft from the approach end of the runway. The passenger stated that the left wing "fluttered" like it stalled, and the airplane subsequently descended like a "lawn dart." The video revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane or engine.

It is likely that during the turn, the pilot did not maintain sufficient airspeed and exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and subsequent impact with terrain.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR19LA062 for the full record.