Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cucamonga, California 91729
Sunday, April 5, 1992 13:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT, AND A FRIEND FLYING IN A SECOND SIMILAR MODEL AIRPLANE WHICH ALSO CRASHED, PROCEEDED UP A BOX CANYON. DURING THE LOOSE FORMATION FLIGHT THE ACCIDENT PILOT WAS IN TRAIL. THE PILOT OF THE LEAD AIRPLANE REPORTED THAT BOTH HE AND HIS FRIEND WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE CANYON. THE PILOT OF THE LEAD AIRPLANE REPORTED THAT ENTERING THE CANYON HE INTENTIONALLY DESCENDED TO 250 FEET AGL. WITNESSES ESTIMATED THAT THE LEAD AIRPLANE FLEW UP THE CANYON BETWEEN 100 AND 200 FEET AGL, WHILE THE ACCIDENT (SECOND) AIRPLANE FLEW UP THE CANYON BETWEEN 300 AND 600 FEET AGL. THE PILOT OF THE LEAD AIRPLANE STATED THAT HE BROADCAST TO THE ACCIDENT PILOT THAT HE HAD BECOME TRAPPED IN THE CANYON. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO COMMENCE A STEEP LEFT BANK (COURSE REVERSAL) TURN, AND THEN DESCEND WHEREUPON THE SOUND OF AN IMPACT WAS HEARD. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE. (SEE REPORT NUMBER LAX92LA166 FOR DETAILS OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE'S CRASH.)

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO AVOID THE RISING TERRAIN OF THE BOX CANYON, AND, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED MARGIN ABOVE STALL WHILE MANEUVERING IN AN ATTEMPT TO REVERSE COURSE. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT HAVING BEEN DISTRACTED BY THE LEAD AIRPLANE'S PILOT BROADCAST THAT HE HAD BECOME TRAPPED IN THE CANYON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CUCAMONGA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91729
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1351 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 174
Weather Observation Facility ID ONT
Elevation of weather observation facility 943
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2726
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47634
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N302CB
NTSB Number LAX92FA169
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 GLOBE
Aircraft Model GC-1B
Aircraft Series Identifier GC-1B
Aircraft Serial Number 231
Certified Max Gross Weight 1710
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 8 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER W. CAMPBELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 809 E. 6TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City ONTARIO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91764
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WALTER W. CAMPBELL
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 809 E. 6TH STREET
Operator City ONTARIO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91764
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 L12
Departure City REDLANDS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CCB
Destination City UPLAND
Destination State CA
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 --