Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arbuckle, California 95912
Saturday, September 26, 1998 8:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness heard an aircraft fly overhead but was unable to see it due to low clouds and misting precipitation. Another witness saw the airplane break out of the bottom of the overcast, accompanied by increased engine sounds and falling parts, which had separated from the aircraft. He estimated the ceiling to be about 400 feet above ground level. The aircraft was not equipped for IFR flight and the pilot did not possess an instrument rating. The right wing separated from the aircraft and was located approximately 100 feet from the main wreckage. The empennage section also separated from the fuselage, and, the horizontal and vertical stabilizers had separated from the empennage. Examination of the wreckage disclosed that the fracture surfaces exhibited overload characteristics, and no preimpact malfunctions or failures were found with the control system. The pilot's toxicological results were positive for quinine. The side effects of quinine can include disturbances of vision, hearing, and balance. Disturbances of balance have been noted even at low doses, and the use of quinine by pilots is usually contraindicated, as it may contribute to spatial disorientation under some conditions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's attempt to continue VFR flight in instrument conditions, which led to his spatial disorientation and in-flight loss of aircraft control, and, resulted in a pilot-induced overload failure of the airframe. The pilot's use of quinine may have been a factor in this accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/26/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 810
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ARBUCKLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95912
Event Date Year 1998
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 750 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 64
Weather Observation Facility ID MYV
Elevation of weather observation facility 62
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 29
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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) 1950
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 26 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:03AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N244WW
NTSB Number LAX98FA305
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 O'NEIL
Aircraft Model VAN'S RV-3
Aircraft Series Identifier VAN'S RV-3
Aircraft Serial Number 244
Certified Max Gross Weight 1051
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 661
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS DEWITT CASTLEBARY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7196 ALDO WAY
Aircraft Owner City ANDERSON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96007
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 RDD
Departure City REDDING
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MER
Destination City ATWATER
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
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 --