Cooper Michael C RV 8A accident near Advance, NC
On September 2, 2015, a Cooper Michael C RV 8A (airplane) was involved in an accident near Advance, NC. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 2, 2015
- Place
- Advance, NC
- Aircraft
- Cooper Michael C RV 8A · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.914°N, 80.462°W
- NTSB ID
- 20150902X51516
Official records · ERA15FA335
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 2, 2015, about 1403 eastern daylight time, a privately owned and operated, experimental amateur-built RV-8A airplane, N393MC, crashed into a pond adjacent to the Twin Lakes Airport (8A7), Advance, North Carolina, shortly after takeoff. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and the two occupants (both pilot rated) were fatally injured. The flight originated about 3 minutes earlier from 8A7. Before departure, there was no comment made by either occupant about what maneuver (if any) they would perform on takeoff. Witnesses on the airport reported observing a thorough preflight inspection performed by either one or both occupants. After boarding the airplane, the front seat occupant passed a handheld tablet computer to the rear seat occupant and was heard to say, "you navigate", before the canopy was closed and the engine was started. The airplane was taxied to runway 27 where an engine run-up was performed, which included a check of the magnetos and propeller; no discrepancies were reported. The airplane became airborne in the normal/typical location for that type of airplane, then climbed in a normal attitude to between 700 and 800 feet. The flight remained in the traffic pattern for runway 27, and flew over runway 27 between 200 and 300 feet above ground level at an estimated speed between 190 and 200 knots. Three witnesses, who were located on the ramp south of the runway near the approach end
Probable cause
The pilots' failure to maintain airplane control during a low-altitude maneuver.
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Browse: North Carolina
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
