Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blythe, California 92225
Friday, July 23, 1993 14:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING DOWN THE RIVER, BUZZING VARIOUS ONLOOKERS AT ALTITUDES NO MORE THAN 50 FT ABOVE THE WATER. SEVERAL WITNESSES WERE ABLE TO DESCRIBE THE PILOT'S DRESS AND OVERT MANNERISMS AS THE AIRPLANE FLEW BY. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A 1-INCH CABLE THAT STRETCHES THE SPAN OF THE RIVER. THE CABLE WAS MARKED WITH WHITE PAINT AT 10-FT INCREMENTS. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED 1 MI NORTH OF A TRAILER COMMUNITY. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGY RESULTS WERE POSITIVE FOR BENZOYLECGONINE (0.047 UG/ML BLOOD, 0.092 UG/ML LUNG FLUID, 13.500 UG/ML URINE), COCAINE (0.155 UG/ML URINE), AND ECGONINE METHYL ESTER (0.525 UG/ML URINE).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE CABLE DUE TO DRUG IMPAIRMENT. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL BUZZING, HIS OSTENTATIOUS DISPLAY, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE OVER THE RIVER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1450
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BLYTHE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92225
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 7
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 1555 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID BLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 397
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 39
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 901
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1650
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8264T
NTSB Number LAX93FA297
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 175B
Aircraft Series Identifier 175B
Aircraft Serial Number 17556964
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 15 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES P. EWING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4704 N. PECK ROAD, SUITE 172
Aircraft Owner City EL MONTE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91732
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code P20
Destination City PARKER
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --