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Porterville, CA
After takeoff, the pilot of the ultralight vehicle climbed to an altitude of 700 ft AGL in the pattern and turned downwind. According to the pilot's partner, the ultralight began a Dutch roll type of maneuver, and after several oscillations, the vehicle stalled and entered a spin to the left. Four other witnesses also observed parts of the sequence of events. According to them, the vehicle's wings began rocking on downwind, then it entered a spin. An exam of the wreckage revealed no preimpact part failure or malfunction. The pilot had approximately 40 hours of fixed wing flight training about 9 years previously. According to the chief pilot for Mitchell Aircraft, the pilot had completed a 1 week ground school course and had 5.3 hours of dual instruction in a 2 place version of the ultralight. On his first solo flight, the pilot did not perform satisfactorily, due to a panic reaction and was advised not to fly solo until after additional dual instruction.
AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT OF THE ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 700 FT AGL IN THE PATTERN & TURNED DOWNWIND. ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S PARTNER, THE ULTRALIGHT BEGAN A DUTCH ROLL TYPE OF MANEUVER, AND AFTER SEVERAL OSCILLATIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED & ENTERED A SPIN TO THE LEFT. FOUR OTHER WITNESSES ALSO OBSERVED PARTS OF THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS. ACCORDING TO THEM, THE VEHICLE'S WINGS BEGAN ROCKING ON DOWNWIND, THEN IT ENTERED A SPIN. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PLT HAD APRX 40 HRS OF FIXED WING FLT TRAINING ABOUT 9 YRS PREVIOUSLY. ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF PLT FOR MITCHELL ACFT, THE PLT HAD COMPLETED A 1 WEEK GROUND SCHOOL COURSE & HAD 5.3 HRS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN A 2 PLACE VERSION OF THE ULTRALIGHT. ON HIS 1ST SOLO FLT, THE PLT DID NOT PERFORM SATISFACTORILY, DUE TO A PANIC REACTION & WAS ADVISED NOT TO FLY SOLO UNTIL AFTER ADDITIONAL DUAL INSTRUCTION.