Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Banning, California 92220
Sunday, February 6, 1994 15:26 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A GROUND WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLY OVER ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE THE FLOOR OF THE GULLY IN AN UPSLOPE DIRECTION. THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOTICED ON THE GROUND ON THE SIDE OF THE GULLY. FAA INSPECTORS REPORTED THAT THE SITE IS IN A BOWL-SHAPED GULLY WITH A DIAMETER OF ABOUT 400 YARDS. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE ROCKY GROUND IN A NEAR-VERTICAL DESCENT ATTITUDE BETWEEN TWO LARGE BOULDERS. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETORS HAD BEEN ADJUSTED TO THE RICHEST POSSIBLE OPERATING CONDITION. NO OTHER SYSTEM ABNORMALITY WAS NOTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

1) THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT A LOW LEVEL, AND 2) HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING TO REVERSE DIRECTION IN A BOX CANYON, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL SPIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/6/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1526
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BANNING
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92220
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1425 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID RIV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1538
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 205
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 6 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1628
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N92NL
NTSB Number LAX94LA115
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LAMPMAN
Aircraft Model KITFOX IV
Aircraft Series Identifier KITFOX IV
Aircraft Serial Number 1615
Certified Max Gross Weight 1050
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 30 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 51
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LAMPMAN, NORMAN WILLIAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2007
Aircraft Owner City PINE COVE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92549
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KEITH W. VINZANT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 60 E. ENSIGN ROAD
Operator City BANNING
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92220
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --