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CHI92LA289

1992-09-24 · HUTCHINSON, Kansas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport KHUT

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

INADEQUATE FLIGHT TEST METHODS BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THE FAA WHICH DID NOT PERMIT SAFE OPERATING CLEARANCES.

Factual narrative

THE FLIGHT WAS ENGAGED IN A TEST FLIGHT THAT INVOLVED AN INTENTIONAL INDUCED AUTOPILOT MALFUNCTION AT 80 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE CREW IS REQUIRED TO DELAY RECOVERY FOR 2.0 SECONDS AND THEN RECOVER FROM THE MALFUNCTION. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A HARD LANDING DURING THE ATTEMPTED RECOVERY RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. THE MALFUNCTION INPUT WAS MADE BY AN AVIONICS ENGINEER IN THE AFT CABIN WHO DID NOT HAVE A READOUT OF RADAR ALTITUDE. THE COMPANY AND THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAVE MODIFIED THEIR FLIGHT TEST GUIDANCE FOR LOW ALTITUDE INTENTIONAL MALFUNCTIONS SINCE THIS ACCIDENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_CHI92LA289.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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