On The Rocks Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Alpine, California 91903
Friday, August 27, 1993 12:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM A DIRT STRIP WITH A CROSSWIND. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED LATERALLY OFF THE STRIP IN AN OPEN AREA. THE AIRPLANE'S TAKEOFF PATH WAS OBSTRUCTED BY A TREE. THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE AND ONE WING DROPPED AND STRUCK THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPRIGHT AND WAS DESTROYED BY A POST-CRASH FIRE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTION CONTROL DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB WHICH PLACED AN OBSTRUCTION IN THE AIRPLANE'S TAKEOFF FLIGHT PATH AND A SUBSEQUENT INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE EXISTING CROSSWIND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ALPINE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91903
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ON THE ROCKS AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1CA6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2650
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID SEE
Elevation of weather observation facility 385
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
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) 4950
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) 1422
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2988B
NTSB Number LAX93FA335
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model D-35
Aircraft Series Identifier D-35
Aircraft Serial Number D3626
Certified Max Gross Weight 2725
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 9 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 8313
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FERDIG, MICHAEL E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4323 MAPLE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City LA MESA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91941
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SDM
Destination City SAN DIEGO
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --