DFW05LA102 · Spearman Raptor

The private pilot lost control of the high performance experimental turbo-prop powered airplane on final approach to the airport. About 1.85 miles from the airport, while at an altitude of 852 feet mean sea level (msl), the pilot began a descending right turn for a straight in approach to runway 36 (a 5,000-foot by 100-foot wide runway). Approximately 1,984 feet from the runway threshold, the airplane impacted terrain in a heavily wooded area, came to rest in an inverted position, and was destroyed by post-impact fire. All major components were accounted for at the scene, but due to fire damage a control continuity check could not be performed. An examination of the engine revealed no mechanical defects or anomalies. The 2,000-hour pilot had accumulated a total time of 3-5 hours in the accident airplane. The airplane was a retractable tricycle geared pressurized low-wing prototype of composite construction and had accrued approximately 60 total flight hours since it was manufactured in 2002. The cockpit contained two seats in a tandem arrangement and was equipped with a dual screen Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS). During the initial flight test program the airplane revealed several hazardous flight characteristics. The airplane's airframe and engine logbooks were not available for review during the course of the investigation so it could not be determined if any modifications were made to the airplane since the initial test flights were concluded in July 2004.

Verbatim NTSB analysis and probable cause from the NTSB dataset