Riego Flight Strip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sacramento, California 95800
Friday, April 5, 1996 8:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, at 200 feet above ground level he made an initial climbing turn and his experimental homebuilt airplane snap-rolled. He indicated that he recovered from the roll, but had insufficient remaining altitude to avoid colliding with the underlying rough terrain.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a low altitude turn after takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SACRAMENTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95800
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RIEGO FLIGHT STRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2Q0
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 21
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 283
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 8 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1425
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N94GV
NTSB Number LAX96LA161
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name VAN DYKE
Aircraft Model GVD1
Aircraft Series Identifier GVD1
Aircraft Serial Number GVD1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1700
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 Feb 25 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 46
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GARY D. VAN DYKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3849 STRIPLIN RD.
Aircraft Owner City PLEASANT GROVE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95668
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 2Q0
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 759
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 Takeoff
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 16
Runway Length 2380
Runway Width 35
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --