Cessna Aircraft CO E162 accident near Douglas, Kansas, September 18, 2008
On September 18, 2008 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna Aircraft CO E162, registered N162XP, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Douglas, Kansas. It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane's inability to recover from an intentional spin, despite proper control inputs by the flight test pilot. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the airplane's ballistic parachute system to properly deploy.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2008 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Douglas, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna Aircraft CO E162
- Registration
- N162XP · no longer on the register · serial 715001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the engineering test flight was to obtain an assessment of the special light sport airplane's spin characteristics. Sixteen spins, with the aircraft in four different configurations, were planned. The aircraft successfully completed the first configuration with a set of four spins. The pilot then completed three of the four spins in the second set of spin testing. With the aircraft at 10,000 feet, the pilot initiated a spin to the left. Once the spin was established, the pilot made the planned control inputs. Despite several attempts by the test pilot to recover the aircraft from the maneuver, the aircraft continued to spin. At the planned altitude of 6,000 feet, the pilot elected to deploy the aircraft's recovery parachute and pulled the chute's activation handle. The parachute did not deploy, and the aircraft continued to spin. The pilot then elected to jettison the cabin door, exit the airplane, and deploy his parachute. The airplane descended into terrain and was substantially damaged. During a subsequent review of flight test data, the airplane manufacturer discovered that an unrecoverable spin could develop in the prototype airplane. An examination of the aircraft's parachute system revealed that the rocket system used to deploy the chute had activated, however; the parachute failed to be pulled from its canister. The parachute's incremental cord was found, and inspected; the entire series of "bar tabs" were torn; an indication that the rocket motor pulled with its full force. The signatures observed on the parachute system and aircraft components were consistent with parachute system cable contacting the right flap cable/turn buckle cable during the rocket launch sequence, compromising the parachute's deployment.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Simulated/training event during maneuvering
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering defining event
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during uncontrolled descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Parachute › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,914 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 8,100 as pilot in command; 1,700 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 12, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 133.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 12, 2008
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cessna Aircraft Company
The flight
- Departed from: KCEA Wichita KS at 4:00 pm
- Destination: KCEA Wichita KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.