Cessna Aircraft has placed the SkyCatcher back in development after two flight tests involving spin-testing led to crashes. In the coming weeks, Cessna will gather additional wind tunnel testing that will be used with data from recent spin testing to refine the configuration before spin testing will be resumed, the company said today.

On March 19, the plane was undergoing an aggressive spin test regime, power and and cross-controlled, when it entered a spin that was not immediately recoverable. It was one of more than 500 test flights flown using various combinations of center-of-gravity positions, power settings, flap settings and control inputs, the company said. The aircraft was slightly damaged and is being repaired.

Cessna is testing beyond those required by the American Society for Testing and Materials.