Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Orland, California 95963
Saturday, September 17, 1994 10:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER. NO ONE OBSERVED THE ACTUAL MANEUVER; HOWEVER, ONE WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE SECONDS PRIOR TO THE CRASH, AND HE INDICATED THE AIRPLANE WAS FALLING 'LIKE A ROCK.' THE OUTBOARD 3-FOOT-LONG PORTION OF THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 200 YARDS FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. PRIOR TO THE PILOT'S TAKEOFF, HE HAD INFORMED AN ACQUAINTANCE THAT HE PLANNED TO 'DO SOME ROLLS.' A WEEK EARLIER, THE PILOT TOLD HIS WIFE THAT HE WANTED TO TRY TO ROLL HIS AIRPLANE. THE PILOT HAD NOT RECEIVED AEROBATIC FLIGHT TRAINING, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT CERTIFICATED TO PERFORM ROLLS. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT AILERON AND LEFT WING STRUCTURE REVEALED PERMANENT DEFORMATION IN AN UPWARD (POSITIVE) DIRECTION. FAA AIRWORTHINESS AND CERTIFICATION OFFICE PERSONNEL REPORTED NO SIGNS OF A DEVELOPING OR PREEXISTING CONDITION WHICH INDUCED FAILURE OF THE SEPARATED LEFT WING TIP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's intentional performance of an aerobatic maneuver which overloaded the outboard portion of the left wing and caused it to fail. Factors which contributed to the accident were the pilot's overconfidence in his ability to perform the maneuver and his lack of experience or training in aerobatics.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ORLAND
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95963
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1839
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 17 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1325
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N37698
NTSB Number LAX94FA367
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 ALON
Aircraft Model A2
Aircraft Series Identifier A2
Aircraft Serial Number A-173
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 Apr 6 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH WYSER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 170 RIO LINDO AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City CHICO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95926
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 889 INYO STREET
Operator City CHICO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95926
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code O37
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 10:34AM
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 --