Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenfield, California 93927
Tuesady, February 4, 1992 16:10 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT, WHO HAD LOGGED 20,000 FLIGHT HOURS, WAS WORKING FOR A FILM CREW TO LOCATE PICTURESQUE AREAS FOR FILMING. DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE PILOT, WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, FLEW AT AN INTENTIONALLY LOW ALTITUDE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE CRUISING HE EXPERIENCED CHANGES IN THE AMBIENT LIGHTING CONDITIONS AND HILLSIDE SHADOWS, AND HE FAILED TO NEGOTIATE A CRITICAL TURN. HE INADVERTENTLY TURNED INTO A BOX-LIKE CANYON, FOR WHICH 'THERE WAS NO ESCAPE,' AND COLLIDED WITH UPSLOPING TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE DURING AN INTENTIONALLY PERFORMED LOW ALTITUDE FLIGHT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT'S VISUAL PERCEPTION OF THE CANYON AREA BECAUSE OF CHANGES IN THE AMBIENT LIGHTING CONDITIONS AND SHADOWS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/4/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City GREENFIELD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93927
Event Date Year 1992
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 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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
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 Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2080
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46872
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8507H
NTSB Number LAX92LA110
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 GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164A
Aircraft Serial Number 1384
Certified Max Gross Weight 4400
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 4 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 1886
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VINCE CROP DUSTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 265
Aircraft Owner City BUTTON WILLOW
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93206
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRAD CHRISTIAN FILMS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7361 1/2 MELROSE AVENUE #201
Operator City LOS ANGELES
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90046
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
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 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 --