North American T-28B | N28XT

The DTSB determines the Probable Cause of this accident to be pilot error, in that the accident pilot encountered a loss of thrust or reduced thrust after takeoff and elected to try to make it back to the departure field: The impossible turn. The accident pilot announced both engine trouble and an intent to return to runway 33 via the Unicom radio. In the process of turning flight, the accident pilot unknowingly consumed all available energy in the right turn from 153 degrees (runway 15 heading) to the final approach path which was a straight 275-foot-long debris path oriented at 217 degrees, a right turn of 64 degrees. The accident aircraft was devoid of energy as it impacted with a high rate of descent into an upsloping hill, further exacerbating a proper flare for landing. There were more than ample similar open fields that would have been available for a straight ahead survivable forced landing. The accident aircraft flipped over after landing and the accident pilot was killed by blunt force trauma, which included a broken neck. The NTSB preliminary report ANC25FA086 has incorrectly published the crash location as northwest of the airport. The DTSB location is accurate within a few feet.

The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft rehearse and condition themselves to be fully prepared for any abnormal after takeoff, and be fully prepared to land gear up, straight ahead, under full control. The DTSB does “not” recommend any attempts to complete the impossible turn unless it is clearly obvious that speed and altitude permit such a turn. The impossible turn is almost always impossible.