Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Big Bear, California 92315
Saturday, August 29, 1998 13:15 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The aircraft was part of a flight of two aircraft conducting for-hire sightseeing flights from the airport. After the aircraft turned on to the crosswind leg, downdrafts were encountered by both aircraft. The accident aircraft made a turn to the left and the trailing aircraft turned to the right. The accident aircraft recovered close to the ground, collided with a telephone pole, and came to rest inverted. The aircraft was destroyed by a postimpact fire. The pilot of the aircraft stated that there were no mechanical anomalies experienced with the aircraft. The aircraft was at full power, but not gaining altitude. A witness to the accident reported that approximately 5 miles southeast of the airport were rain showers. The aircraft was examined and control continuity was established. No mechanical anomalies were noted. This was the sixth flight of the day, with no discrepancies noted with the previous flights. At the time of the accident the weather was deteriorating. Meteorological data showed the presence of instability and convective activity conducive to up and downdrafts near the accident site.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's encounter with an unfavorable wind condition, which caused the aircraft to descend at a rate that exceeded the aircraft's climb capability.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/29/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1315 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | BIG BEAR |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 92315 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| 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 | 1320 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | L35 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6748 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| 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 | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1691 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 29 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1700 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N56856 |
| NTSB Number | LAX98LA279 |
| 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 | Boeing Stearman |
| Aircraft Model | A75N1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | A75N1 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 75-4312 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2950 |
| 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 | Jun 22 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 45 |
| Airframe Hours | 4157 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TWIN-D ENTERPRISES INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 24275 SEAGREEN |
| Aircraft Owner City | DIAMOND BAR |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 91765 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | TWIN-D ENTERPRISES INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 24275 SEAGREEN |
| Operator City | DIAMOND BAR |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 91765 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | L35 |
| Departure City | BIG BEAR |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1310 |
| 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 | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:56PM |
| 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 | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |