Pipistrel Italia S R L ALPHA TRAINER N208ZM accident near Paso Robles, California

Probable cause

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack that resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control on final approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to land with a tailwind.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he entered the traffic pattern for runway 04 and had previously received information by email from ground personnel, that the wind was from the south at 4 kts. While on final approach, the pilot initiated a forward slip to assist with the airplane’s descent and he terminated the slip, the stall warning horn sounded. After the stall warning horn sounded, the airplane “lost lift and had no control” as it descended into a vineyard located to the left of the runway. The airplane impacted the ground, rotated 180°, and came to rest upright. The wings, fuselage, and empennage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR24LA189 for the full record.