Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C accident near Titusville, FL
On March 16, 2007, an Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Titusville, FL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 16, 2007
- Place
- Titusville, FL
- Aircraft
- Aero Vodochody Aero. Works L-39C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 28.517°N, 80.800°W
- NTSB ID
- 20070322X00318
Official records · MIA07FA060
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 16, 2007, about 1443 eastern daylight time, an Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros, N63925, registered to and operated by Best Jet Services LC, crashed while performing at the TICO Warbird Airshow, Space Coast Regional Airport (KTIX), Titusville, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airline transport-rated pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight originated in Titusville, the same day, about 1430. A witness stated that while the pilot of the accident airplane was performing his solo routine at the airshow, the airplane ascended and penetrated a scattered cloud layer at the top of a loop. The airplane then came back into view out of the loop, and continued to roll right while descending in a steep nose-low attitude, at a high speed. The witness further stated that during the loop the angle of descent became progressively shallow as the airplane neared the ground, as if the pilot was attempting to pull out of the dive at too low an altitude. The airplane impacted the terrain just north of the tree-line along runway 09-27. During the course of the accident airplane’s maneuvers, several members of public audience made video recordings of the accident flight immediately prior to, and during the impact. The video was examined, and it showed the airplane had reached the top of a Cuban eight maneuver, inverted in a cloud, and then descended inverted out of the cloud in a nose low attitude. The airplane then rolled to the right, and while still n
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to ensure sufficient altitude while maneuvering in close proximity to the ground during an airshow, which resulted in an impact with terrain.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
