Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Earp, California 92242
Thursday, July 25, 1991 10:40 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT HOME, A FRIEND OF THE PILOT ASKED ONE OF THE PILOT'S THREE PASSENGERS TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF HIS RESIDENCE. THE PILOT AGREED TO FLY BY THE FRIEND'S RESIDENCE WHILE HIS PASSENGER PHOTOGRAPHED IT. WHILE FLYING, THE PILOT INITIALLY STAYED BETWEEN 150 AND 500 FEET ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE TERRAIN. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TRAVELING SLOWLY. SECONDS AFTER THE AIRPLANE PASSED BY THE SPECIFIED RESIDENCE, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN WITH A REPORTED ANGLE OF BANK BETWEEN 75 AND 90 DEGREES. THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE PITCHED DOWNWARD, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND IT CRASHED INTO THE MARSH-LIKE AREA ADJACENT TO THE NEARBY RESORT COMMUNITY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING DURING A LOW PASS, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: LACK OF ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/25/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1040
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City EARP
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92242
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
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 Witness
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) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1659
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45294
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3813U
NTSB Number LAX91FA329
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model F33A
Aircraft Series Identifier F33A
Aircraft Serial Number CE-938
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICKY L. FOSNIGHT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 541 PROMONTORY DRIVE E.
Aircraft Owner City NEWPORT BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92660
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RICKY L. FOSNIGHT
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 541 PROMONTORY DRIVE E.
Operator City NEWPORT BEACH
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92660
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 P20
Departure City PARKER
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1024
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FULL
Destination City FULLERTON
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 10:35AM
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 --