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Performing aerobatic maneuvers can be dangerous even with the most experienced pilot, but under the influence of methamphetamine, it can be deadly. The NTSB found the Extra 300 pilot was under the influence of illicit substances when he failed to recover from an aerodynamic stall and spin at a low altitude, crashing into a remote desert.
On July 3, 2022 an Extra Flugzeugbau GMHB EA 300/L (N343BH) departed the Henderson Executive Airport (HND) in Henderson, Nevada and flew on an east-southeast track, reaching a maximum altitude of about 4,244 ft mean sea level. Roughly 9.3 miles from the airport the pilot flew into a gap between ridgelines to perform a series of climbs, turns and descents. A witness said the pilot planned on performing the flight maneuvers that morning while a photoshoot was taking place on the ground. The maneuvers consisted of flying low through a valley and performing a turn and climb maneuver to fly in the opposite direction. These maneuvers were similar to an aerobatic maneuver known as a wingover, where the plane will make a steep climb followed by a turn at the top using the rudder and a descent flying back in the opposite direction from which the maneuver started. When the rudder turn is performed right at the initiation of the stall, the maneuver is referred to as a stall turn or hammerhead.
Three of the turn reversals were completed. On the first turn maneuver, the climb rate was about 15,000 fpm and the descent rate was over 10,000 fpm, with a peak load factor of about 3 g. The second turn maneuver had a climb rate of about 8,000 fpm with a descent rate of about 5,000 fpm. For the third and final turn maneuver, the climb rate was about 6,500 fpm and the descent rate was about 6,800 fpm.
The plane's information manual stated that the minimum entry indicated airspeed for a 90-degree climb maneuver was 150 knots and for a ¼ loop climb and stall, turn, it was 100 knots. The pane's stall speed was 60 knots. During the peak altitude in these maneuvers, the plane's roll angles exceeded 90 degrees and the airspeed was close to the stall speed on the first and last turn maneuvers. During portions of the maneuver close to the end of the flight, the plane was less than 200 ft agl. The final data point showed the plane's altitude at about 2,519 msl with a ground speed of 48 knots.
The plane impacted desert terrain at an elevation of about 2,050 ft msl and a postimpact fire consumed most of the wreckage. Two witnesses saw the plane fly overhead and pull up into a climb before entering a spin towards the ground. They told investigators the engine sounded normal during the flyby. The NTSB final report noted that a video from a witness showed the plane performing the low altitude flybys near or below the ridgelines, then performing vertical turn reversal maneuvers. On the final turn maneuver the plane went out of view temporarily and when it reappeared, was in a steep nose-down descent with rotation and consistent with a spin.
The NTSB's performance study of the accident flight data revealed that the maximum load factor the pilot was subjected to during the three turn and climb maneuvers was about 3 g. During the third and final turn of the climb maneuver the load factor was less than the first two turn and climb maneuvers with a normal load factor of under 2 g. An individual performing an aerobatic flight must not fly below 1,500 feet above any surface.
Stalls that occur any time the G-load exceeds +1G are called accelerated maneuver stalls. This type of accelerated stall would most likely occur inadvertently during improperly executed turns, stall and spin recoveries, pullouts from steep dives or when overshooting a base to the final turn. The amount of acceleration an individual can withstand varies based on many different factors, like height, age, elasticity of blood vessels and training. The pilot was a former Marine pilot who flew the F-18 fighter aircraft and an airline pilot. Associates of the pilot told investigators he trained to establish a minimal altitude of 1,500 ft agl for aerobatic maneuvers and 3,000 ft agl for spins. He was also trained to recover from stalls and spins.
The plane crashed into a remote area with desert terrain consisting of safe brush roughly one foot high. All major components of the plane were located at the site but a postimpact fire consumed most of the plane, except the left wing, left horizontal stabilizer and engine. There was no evidence of preimpact mechanical failure or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot was a 58-year-old male with a second-class medical certificate with the limitation that he must have glasses available for near vision. His most recent exam was on April 5, 2022 and he did not report any medications or medical conditions. Toxicology testing was performed on the pilot's blood, urine, liver tissue and muscle tissue and detected methamphetamine, amphetamine, phenylpropanolamine and pseudoephedrine. Methamphetamine was detected at 12,300 nanograms per milliliter in the pilot's urine, 580 nanograms per gram in his muscle tissue and 4,023 nm/gm in his liver tissue. Amphetamine was detected at 1,563 ng/mL in his urine, 93 mg/gm in his muscle tissue and 907 nm/gm in his liver tissue. If the methamphetamine is illicitly manufactured from decongestants, the unreacted precursors may be present, which could account for the detection of pseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine.
The toxicology report notes that oral doses of prescribed methamphetamine produce blood concentrations in the range of 20 to 50 ng/mL. Blood concentrations above 200 ng/mL may indicate recreational use and can reach levels above 2,000 ng/mL. While blood concentrations cannot be used to determine the phase of methamphetamine use, positive urine results indicate use within one to four days. Based on the toxicology testing, the pilot had used methamphetamine sometime before the crash, resulting in the high detection of the illicit substance and its metabolite amphetamine in the urine sample. The NTSB ruled that it was likely the pilot was still under the influence and experiencing some effects of the methamphetamine while flying. The report also noted that the discovery of phenylpropanolamine and pseudoephedrine further supported the evidence of recreational and illicit use of methamphetamines by the pilot.
The NTSB final report found the probable cause to be the pilot's failure to maintain control of the plane by exceeding the critical angle of attack while maneuvering in a turning climb at a low altitude, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and spin from which the pilot was unable to recover. The report added that contributing to the crash was the pilot's methamphetamine use and his decision to perform aerobatics below the required minimum altitude.