Game Composites Llc GB1 GAMEBIRD accident near Irwin, ID
On July 4, 2024, a Game Composites Llc GB1 GAMEBIRD (airplane) was involved in an accident near Irwin, ID. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 4, 2024
- Place
- Irwin, ID
- Aircraft
- Game Composites Llc GB1 GAMEBIRD · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 43.181°N, 111.062°W
- NTSB ID
- 20240705194613
Official records · WPR24FA225
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On July 4, 2024, about 1723 mountain daylight time, a Game Composites LLC GB1 Gamebird airplane, N786AE, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Irwin, Idaho. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot of another airplane, he and the accident pilot were practicing an aerobatic formation flight for a future airshow within an aerobatic practice area just west of Alpine Airport (46U), Alpine, Wyoming. After completing the formation flight, the witness pilot maneuvered his airplane away from the aerobatic box while the accident pilot completed solo aerobatic maneuvers. Witnesses located on the Palisades Reservoir observed the airplane perform a series of solo aerobatic maneuvers. On the last series, they saw the airplane fly nearly vertically up, with aerobatic smoke on, then perform a tight, pivoting turn to a vertical descent. Immediately after, the airplane entered a flat spin maneuver. After multiple revolutions, the airplane entered a nose low dive and impacted the water. The recovered video recorders showed that both the lead airplane and the accident airplane performed formation aerobatics with no noted airframe or engine anomalies. During the formation flight, both pilots recovered from maneuvers between 1,200 and 1,700 ft agl. The video further showed that after the aerobatic formation flight, the accident pilot continued to perform solo maneuvers. The accident maneuver started with a positive pull up from 1,300 ft agl and 85 kts indicated
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to perform a spin maneuver at an altitude that was insufficient to complete a successful recovery and subsequent failure to properly arrest the spin, which resulted in a secondary stall and an impact with terrain.
More accidents in ID
- Boeing 737, Jan 9, 2021
- Cessna TU206, Jul 5, 2020
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-36, Jan 15, 1996
- Cessna T303, Mar 3, 1998
- Cessna TU-206-G, Jul 3, 1988
Browse: Idaho
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
