Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boulder City, Nevada 89005
Thursday, February 18, 1993 10:05 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD CALLED ANOTHER PILOT ON THE RADIO AND SAID THAT HE WAS 5 MI SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT AND RETURNING TO LAND. WHEN THE PILOT DID NOT RETURN, THE OTHER PILOT TOOK OFF TO SEARCH FOR THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED 3 MI SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TERRAIN NOSE FIRST AT A 40-45 DEG ANGLE. THE PROPELLER APPEARED NOT TO HAVE BEEN TURNING AT IMPACT. AN EXAM OF THE ENGINE FOUND NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES. TOXICOLOGICAL RESULTS WERE POSITIVE: BLOOD SCREEN - 1026 NG/ML DIAZEPAM, 1142 NG/ML NORDIAZEPAM; URINE SCREEN - METHAMPHETAMINE, AMPHETAMINE, OXAZEPAM, TEMAZEPAM, AND NORDIAZEPAM IDENTIFIED. THE LEVEL OF DIAZEPAM WOULD INDICATE THAT THE PILOT WAS TAKING THE TRANQUILIZER VALIUM AT A LEVEL OF AT LEAST TWICE THE NORMAL THERAPEUTIC CONCENTRATION. IN ADDITION, THE AUTOPSY REVEALED A SEVERE OCCLUSION OF THE LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING ARTERY, AT ITS ORIGIN. THE DEGREE OF OCCLUSION WAS SUFFICIENT TO HAVE CAUSED ARRHYTHMIA, INFARCT OR EVEN DEATH AT ANY TIME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL DUE TO PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT AS A RESULT OF EITHER DRUGS OR OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR REASONS, OR BOTH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/18/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1005
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BOULDER CITY
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89005
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 627
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 18 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52789
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4391V
NTSB Number LAX93LA124
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 BERTONE
Aircraft Model CHALLENGER II
Aircraft Series Identifier CHALLENGER
Aircraft Serial Number 20192CW0785
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Aug 27 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 56
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK D. GRAHAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1913 BEVERLY WAY
Aircraft Owner City LAS VEGAS
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89104
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FRANK D. GRAHAM
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1913 BEVERLY WAY
Operator City LAS VEGAS
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89104
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
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 Descent
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 --