Primary finding
Probable cause
The airplane’s encounter with a dust devil, which resulted in a loss of airplane control at a low altitude.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that while conducting a slow flight maneuver for flight testing purposes in an unregistered airplane, he felt a “heavy push up” on the airplane to about 75 ft above ground level. The right wing then lifted and the pilot lost control of the airplane which entered a left descending spiral. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain and came to rest inverted. A witness reported that he observed dust devil weather activity where the airplane was flying at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.