NTSB: Surviving SpaceShipTwo Pilot Provides Details About Crash

Pilot Peter Siebold was injured in the Oct. 31 aircraft breakup high above California's Mojave Desert

The pilot who survived the mid-air breakup of SpaceShipTwo during a test flight last month high above the Southern California desert told investigators he was thrown clear of the disintegrating craft and not aware that his co-pilot had prematurely unlocked a re-entry braking system.

The National Transportation Safety Board released an update Wednesday that does not provide any details on what caused SpaceShipTwo to crash Oct. 31 in the Mojave Desert, but that does include the first account from pilot Peter Siebold of the moments before the space tourism aircraft tore apart tens of thousands of feet above the Earth.

Siebold, hospitalized after the breakup and crash, told investigators Friday that he was pulled from the rocket-powered vehicle when it disintegrated after it was released as planned from its mother ship at about 50,000 feet. He told investigators he unbuckled from his seat at some point during his fall and his parachute deployed automatically.

The NTSB previously said the ship designed to fly tourists to the edge of space tore apart a few seconds after the co-pilot unlocked the braking system. The in-flight braking process eventually triggers a "feathering" system unique to the craft to help it slow as it re-enters the atmosphere. After being unlocked, a lever must be pulled to rotate the tail section toward a nearly vertical position to act as a rudder. After decelerating, the pilots reconfigure the tail section to its normal position so the craft can glide to Earth.

The feathers aren't designed to be unlocked until the craft reaches Mach 1.4, or more than 1,000 mph. However, co-pilot Mike Alsbury could be seen on inflight video unlocking the system before the vehicle had reached Mach 1.0, crash investigators said. The second step to activate the feathers was never taken, but the system engaged anyway.

The vehicle broke up two to three seconds later.

The NTSB has said the feathers could have deployed because of aerodynamic forces on the craft. The agency said Wednesday that it continues to look into the aerodynamic forces and inertial forces on the vehicle. The NTSB also said Wednesday that it is reviewing safety documentation and the design of the feather system.

The investigation is likely months from completion. Investigators have said pilot error, mechanical failure, the design and whether there was pressure to continue testing are among many things being considered.

Virgin Galactic is owned by billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Aabar Investments PJS of Abu Dhabi. The company was conducting test flights in the desert about 90 miles north of Los Angeles with its partner, Scaled Composites, before the fatal Oct. 31 crash. More than 700 passengers have paid up to $250,000 apiece for the space tourism journey.

SpaceShipTwo has been under development for years and has suffered previous setbacks. In 2007, an explosion killed three people on the ground and critically injured three others during a ground test in the development of a rocket engine.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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