Corona Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Corona, California 91720
Tuesady, December 9, 1997 11:06 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot took off in the experimental, homebuilt airplane, for a planned series of approaches to explore the airplane's operating envelope. The first approach was performed without use of the wing flaps, and no anomalies were reported. During the next approach, the pilot fully extended the flaps. The airplane entered a left turn which, according to the pilot, could not be stopped. The pilot lost control of the airplane, it descended and collided with two unoccupied airplanes. The accident occurred during the 7th hour of the flight test program. There were no reported mechanical problems.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An in-flight loss of control resulting from a malfunction in the wing flap operating system. The malfunction produced asymmetrical drag and induced a roll which could not be overcome by the pilot's flight control inputs.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/9/1997
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1106
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CORONA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91720
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CORONA MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AJO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 533
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 25000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1625
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 9 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6232F
NTSB Number LAX98LA056
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 JOHNSON
Aircraft Model BUSHROD
Aircraft Series Identifier BUSHROD
Aircraft Serial Number 1
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 19 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 7
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEPHEN B. JOHNSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2998 S. BUENA VISTA AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City CORONA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91720
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RODERICK MACLENNAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 71201
Operator City SALT LAKE CITY
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84171
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code AJO
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code AJO
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 25
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --