Desert Fox Squadron member lost in plane crash.

[DesertFox4]

Robert Oliver of San Luis Obispo,CA died in the crash of his RV-9A on Saturday June 19th. According to very preliminary information the crash occurred while landing at an Idaho airport during a trip with friends on their way to Montana. Robert was alone in his aircraft when the accident happened.
Robert Oliver was an early member of the Desert Fox Squadron and attended many of our fly in's. Robert built a Model 6 Kitfox tri-gear which he flew for several years.
Robert was a joy to know and he loved to fly. He will be greatly missed by every one of his many friends all across this nation. Sincere condolences to Robert's family and all his friends during this difficult time. Condolences to his good flying buddies that were with him at the time of his accident.

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Robert at the 2010 DFS fly in.

[DanB]

It is always a difficult thing to loose a brother. Robert certainly loved flying and living life large and will be missed a great deal. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

[rcsfca]

The preliminary report on Robert Oliver's crash is now posted on the NTSB website.

It appears to have been a stall/spin, something all of us have to be constantly on guard against.

Here is the text of the report:

On June 19, 2010, about 1100 mountain daylight time, an experimental Oliver RV-9A, N559B, impacted the terrain within the confines of May Airport, May, Idaho. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was killed in the accident, and the airplane, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage to the majority of its structure. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Challis, Idaho, about 15 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed.

According to witnesses who were talking to the pilot and watching him as he flew over the airfield, the pilot was maneuvering over the runway about 200 feet above ground level (agl) in order to evaluate the roughness of the surface (ed:The airport (0U8) is a turf strip.) prior to deciding whether to land there. At one point, as the pilot neared the runway in order to cross it at about a 90 degree angle, the airplane's forward speed seemed to slow significantly. Then without any audible change in engine power, the airplane suddenly rolled to the left and made a one-half turn spin into the ground.

One witness, who had been watching the pilot maneuver around the field at a low altitude, said that it appeared that the pilot had been maintaining an airspeed of around 65 miles per hour until he started to cross the runway at 90 degrees. At that time it appeared that the pilot slowed to around 45 miles per hour. According to this witness, it appeared that the pilot inadvertently let the airplane's speed become less than stall speed as he was looking at the runway surface to determine it roughness.

(End of report)

________________________
Rich Cunningham
Lafayette, CA
Model IV - 1200 - 912UL - Taildragger

[DesertFox4]

Thanks Rich. Sounds like distraction = too slow airspeed which all too often = stall/spin.

[catz631]

I talked with an Alaskan bush pilot when I was in Alaska and he stated that this is the way most of the newer bush pilots are killed. They spot a bear or other animal they are tracking and attention is deverted from flying and the result is an unintended pull on the controls,slow airspeed,sharp bank and then it is all over.
This was a real sad thing !
Dick

[akflyer]

First condolences to the family, I hate it when we loose anyone in the aviation community!

Second, the above description is not totally accurate. The stall spin we deal with most often is referred to as the "moose hunter" stall. This is basicaly a low altitude cross control stall where you are maneuvering to look at something on the ground and your low n slow. You want a better look so you push in more rudder and get the ball out of center. Next thing you know is your on your back in a spin to low and too late to do anything but holler out the proverbial "oh S@#T". I know of quite a few instances where the pilot survives the crash but is pinned in the wreckage that then catches fire. I know of 3 where atleast one addition plane landed within minutes of impact and had to deal with listening to his buddy as the fire consumed him.

Please Please Please fly your plane first, look out the window second. If the strip is that small or that rough that you need to get your speed down so low that you are in danger of a stall to get a good look, go for option B and find another strip.