Private Strip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mariposa, California 95338
Saturday, November 14, 1992 13:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ON APPROACH TO HIS PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AND HE LET THE AIRCRAFT GET LOW AND SLOW. THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT WHICH THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED MARGIN WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, AND, AFTER ENCOUNTERING A DOWN DRAFT, HIS FAILURE TO CORRECT THE RESULTING DESCENT RATE AND MAINTAIN A GLIDE PATH WHICH WOULD MAINTAIN OBSTACLE CLEARANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/14/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City MARIPOSA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95338
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRIVATE STRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 2900
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 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) 757
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 14 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1425
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48168
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5187M
NTSB Number LAX93LA038
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 TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model BC-12D
Aircraft Series Identifier BC-12D
Aircraft Serial Number 10487
Certified Max Gross Weight 1250
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 Aug 23 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 1325
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARTHUR P. CHRISTEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3986 N. BUHACH ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MERCED
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95340
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOSEPH E. CARBAUGH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5522 HARRIS CUT OFF ROAD
Operator City MARIPOSA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95338
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 MCE
Departure City MERCED
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 1073
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --