At approximately 17:00 PDT, an experimental Vixen crashed near a private airfield near Naples, killing both occupants. The two occupants were brothers flying an airplane registered to their father, who had bought the airplane a year earlier, after it had been flying for two years. A witness said the airplane took off and made an immediate 180-degree turn back to the field. The pilot then added power for a go around, climbed, and made another 180-degree turn. At the top of the second turn, the aircraft abruptly descended and crashed. An inspector discovered sections of freshly broken barbed wire at the accident site and noted damage to the propeller that matched the barbed wire, but no nearby fences were found damaged. No other pre-accident anomalies were found.
Sept. 11, Naples, Idaho / Series 5 Vixen
At approximately 17:00 PDT, an experimental Vixen crashed near a private airfield near Naples, killing both occupants. The two occupants were brothers flying an airplane registered to their father, who had bought the airplane a year earlier, after it had been flying for two years. A witness said the airplane took off and made an immediate 180-degree turn back to the field. The pilot then added power for a go around, climbed, and made another 180-degree turn. At the top of the second turn, the aircraft abruptly descended and crashed. An inspector discovered sections of freshly broken barbed wire at the accident site and noted damage to the propeller that matched the barbed wire, but no nearby...
Key Takeaways:
- An experimental Vixen aircraft crashed near Naples, killing both occupants (two brothers) after an unusual flight path involving two 180-degree turns following takeoff.
- A witness observed the aircraft take off, make an immediate 180-degree turn, climb for a go-around, complete another 180-degree turn, and then abruptly descend and crash.
- Investigators found sections of freshly broken barbed wire at the accident site and matching propeller damage, suggesting an interaction with the wire, with no other pre-accident anomalies discovered.
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