Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Clear Lake Res, California 96134
Friday, October 1, 1993 10:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT (PIC) REPORTED THAT HE & ANOTHER PILOT (PASSENGER) FLEW TO A FRESH WATER RESERVOIR. HE SAID THAT EN ROUTE, THEY 'TOOK TURNS DOING WING OVERS AND TIGHT TURNS.' HE SAID THEY DECIDED TO MAKE A 360 DEGREE TURN OVER THE WATER, THEN FLY BACK TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE PIC INDICATED THAT WHILE TURNING OVER GLASSY WATER, THE WATER, SUN, HAZE & COLOR OF THE BACKGROUND TERRAIN RESULTED IN AN OPTICAL ILLUSION. HE SAID HE LOST REFERENCE TO THE HORIZON, AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE WATER ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH THE TURN. THE PILOT SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT. HE EGRESSED FROM THE AIRPLANE AS IT WAS SINKING, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESCUE THE OTHER OCCUPANT. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, WHILE PERFORMING A LOW-ALTITUDE MANEUVER (TURN) OVER WATER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: SUN GLARE, HAZE, GLASSY CONDITION OF THE WATER, AND THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES (VISUAL PERCEPTION) FOR THE PILOT TO JUDGE ALTITUDE AND KEEP REFERENCE TO THE HORIZON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/1/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CLEAR LAKE RES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96134
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 10
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
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 Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1740
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 2 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1533
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8397S
NTSB Number LAX94LA003
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182H
Aircraft Series Identifier 182H
Aircraft Serial Number 18256497
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 3186
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name N & H DREW; C & D MCGEARY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 714 MAIN ST.
Aircraft Owner City KLAMATH FALLS
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CECIL DREW
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 810 LOMA LINDA
Operator City KLAMATH FALLS
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97601
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 No
Departure Airport Code LMT
Departure City KLAMATH FALLS
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 950
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LMT
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --