Tim, I agree with your post. Unless someone at Manteo told him about the deer I don't think he was that knowledgeable about First Flight. I think he was high on his first approach and went around. Then he was high again on his 2nd approach and pulled the stick back and stalled it. Maybe the left wing stalled first which would explain the left turn into the woods. We're assuming the pilot was owner of the plane. I get the impression he was not an experienced pilot, flying the pattern the wrong way and all. This just my opinion.This NTSB early report did not tell us much more than we already knew. Hopefully there will be more detail in their final report in 6 months or a year.
I fly with my buddy in his Cirrus SR22T 6-8 times a year. My biggest fear, at least when we are flying in PA and the northeast is deer on the runaway. We have had to wave off a number of times because we were either warned of deer or we spotted them.
I fly with my buddy in his Cirrus SR22T 6-8 times a year. My biggest fear, at least when we are flying in PA and the northeast is deer on the runaway. We have had to wave off a number of times because we were either warned of deer or we spotted them. Yes, very common at First Flight air strip. But in all my years here I have never heard of an impact to a deer. I have seen them there a few times, but not on the runway.
“The pilot approached runway 21 a second time, and according to witnesses, was high and fast during the approach. As the airplane passed the midway point of the runway, it made a steep left turn and impacted the top of 50-foot-tall trees”Pure conjecture on my part. PP license and standard 3-axis ultralight owner but gave it up many years ago. We’d practice high approaches with full flaps and throttle almost back to idle, even side slipping some to further increase the descent rate. All fine and dandy but if you decided on a go around at the last moment and punched the throttle, you’d had better be quick at jamming the stick forward quickly to prevent a rapid pitch up attitude in the aircraft with flaps set at full. Smooth throttle up, stick steadily forward to counteract that pitch up and maintain-build speed while “keeping it level” ( maintain level flight), then slowly retract the flaps as you build speed and only then climb out normally. Pretty straight forward when we practiced it regularly. With a slippery fast plane, fully loaded I’m guessing that procedure is even more critical to avoid a quick stall. Oh well pure conjecture from vague memories of a previous life. Just one of many possible causes…….Sad loss of life. Ballistic chutes are great “last resort” safety devices but useless at low altitudes
I was flying with Dwight Burrus at Billy Mitchell Field years ago. When landing into the wind we were almost gliding to the runway, no sound. There was a guy speed walking on the runway with his back to us. He didn't notice us until we flew over his head about 20' off the runway while going around for another try. He was gone after we circled and came back. I joked that they really need to have a horn on these small planes!
Such a horrible tragedy. I'm curious why these reports take so long to be completed and released.