...Spatial Disorientation, A Loss Of Control, Exceedance Of The Airplane’S Design Limitations, And In-Flight Breakup...

Location: Tryon, Nebraska Accident Number: WPR22FA266
Date & Time: July 25, 2022, 08:39 Local Registration: N192MH
Aircraft: Holland Mike RV9A Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis: The non-instrument-rated pilot and student-pilot rated passenger were en route during a crosscountry flight when they encountered instrument meteorological conditions. Air traffic control (ATC) communications and flight track data were consistent with the pilots being aware of deteriorating weather conditions along their desired route of travel and attempting to navigate around clouds before the pilot reported to ATC that they were in the clouds. The pilot’s final radio call to ATC was that they were “still in the soup” and the airplane subsequently descended rapidly and exceeded the airplane’s do not exceed airspeed (Vne) by 70-80 knots true airspeed (TAS) before the radar data ended. Witnesses heard a loud noise and then saw the airplane spiraling over their home along with separated pieces of the airplane falling from the sky before they impacted terrain.

The debris field was about 1 mile long, and the first pieces of wreckage in the debris field were portions of the vertical stabilizer, indicating portions of the empennage separated from the airplane first. The observed damage was consistent with structural failure initiated by flutter of the rudder and no pre-existing anomalies were found during examinations of the wreckage. The accident is consistent with the non-instrument-rated pilot continuing to fly toward deteriorating weather conditions despite his knowledge of those conditions and his lack of qualification to fly in them. The pilot likely became spatially disoriented and lost control of the airplane after entering instrument meteorological conditions and losing the ability to see visual references. The airplane then entered a descent and exceeded its airspeed design limits to a point where rudder flutter occurred, which resulted in structural failure of the airplane. 

Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation, a loss of control, exceedance of the airplane’s design limitations, and in-flight breakup of the airplane due to rudder flutter.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov