Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Paula, California 93021
Saturday, February 15, 1992 12:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE STARTED A LOOP AT ABOUT 4,500 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. HE ENTERED THE MANEUVER AT 160 MPH AND 'PULLED 5 TO 5 1/2 G'S (EST).' HE STATED THAT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A 45 DEGREE NOSE UP ATTITUDE, HE HEARD A 'LOUD BANG.' HE REMOVED HIS SEAT BELTS (2), EXITED THE AIRPLANE, AND PARACHUTED TO SAFETY. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AND AIRPLANE REVEALED THE LEFT WING FAILED AND DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LOOP MANEUVER. A LABORATORY EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED WOODEN WING REVEALED, IN PART '...THAT FAILURE OCCURRED PROBABLY BECAUSE OF OVERLOADING OF THE SPAR.' THE LABORATORY REPORT FURTHER STATED 'THE VERY BRASH FAILURE COMPLETELY THROUGH THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF THE COMPRESSION LAMINATE SUGGESTS PRE-EXISTING COMPRESSION FAILURES IN THE LAMINATE BEFORE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE THROUGH THE CRITICAL LOADING AREA.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANES'S LEFT WING SPAR DUE TO STRESS OVERLOADING CAUSED BY PRE-EXISTING COMPRESSION FAILURES IN THE LAMINATE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/15/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SANTA PAULA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93021
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 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 431
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46610
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 N64ND
NTSB Number LAX92LA118
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Avions Mudry
Aircraft Model CAP-10B
Aircraft Series Identifier CAP-10B
Aircraft Serial Number 175
Certified Max Gross Weight 1829
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 22 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 102
Airframe Hours 1405
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETER POLAND
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1575 E. MODESTO AVE.
Aircraft Owner City CAMARILLO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93010
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PETER POLAND
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1575 E. MODESTO AVE.
Operator City CAMARILLO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93010
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 No
Departure Airport Code CMA
Departure City CAMARILLO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1135
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 --