Auburn Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Auburn, California 95602
Saturday, April 15, 1995 10:40 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED TWO AIRPLANES FLYING IN A LOOSE FORMATION. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS BELOW THE FIRST AIRPLANE AND WAS FLYING AT TREETOP LEVEL 'CORKSCREWING THROUGH THE AIR.' IT THEN ENTERED INTO A ROLL MANEUVER AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES. THE PILOT HAD BEEN CITED PREVIOUSLY BY THE FAA FOR VIOLATING MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDES, AND CARELESS OR RECKLESS OPERATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGMENT IN PERFORMING A ROLL AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO ASSURE A SAFE COMPLETION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1040
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City AUBURN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95602
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AUBURN MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AUN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 10
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 1520
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1055 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID BAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 298
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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) 315
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 15 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1131
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N301SH
NTSB Number LAX95LA162
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PITTS
Aircraft Model S-1E
Aircraft Series Identifier S-1E
Aircraft Serial Number SB3
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRYAN L. RICHARDSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4249 CREEKHAVEN ROAD
Aircraft Owner City AUBURN
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95602
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Airport Code OVE
Departure City OROVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1025
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AUN
Destination City AUBURN
Destination State CA
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 --