Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Mathews, California 92503
Wednesday, July 17, 1991 20:05 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED STUDENT PILOT, AFTER FUELING HIS AIRCRAFT, INVITED THE NON-CERTIFICATED FUELER TO GO FOR A SHORT FLIGHT TO THE PRACTICE AREA AND BACK. THE FUELER LEFT THE PUMPS UNATTENDED AND UNLOCKED. THEY DEPARTED FOUR MINUTES BEFORE OFFICIAL SUNSET. WITNESS SAW THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMING WHAT APPEARED TO BE AEROBATICS THEN LOST SIGHT OF THEM BEHIND A HILL. AFTER A TURN IN THE HIGHWAY THEY AGAIN SAW THE AIRCRAFT , BUT IN A NOSEDOWN FAST SPIN IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. FAA INSPECTORS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A POWER LINE STATIC CABLE WHICH SEVERED THE ENTIRE EMPENNAGE. FRIENDS OF THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ENJOYED LOW ALTITUDE CONTOUR FLYING AND THAT THEY HAD WARNED HIM OF THE POWER LINE DANGER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL LOW ALTITUDE FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH A POWER LINE STATIC CABLE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS INADEQUATE LIGHT CONDITIONS WHICH REDUCED THE PILOT'S ABILITY TO DETECT THE POWER LINE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2005
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LAKE MATHEWS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92503
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 Unknown
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 Dusk
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 918
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44996
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 N239GA
NTSB Number LAX91LA316
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 JURCA
Aircraft Model MJ5 SIROCCO
Aircraft Series Identifier MJ5 SIROCC
Aircraft Serial Number 239
Certified Max Gross Weight 1499
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SIMON E. RICHARDS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2922 MILLCREEK RD.
Aircraft Owner City ONTARIO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91761
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SIMON E. RICHARDS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2922 MILLCREEK RD.
Operator City ONTARIO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91761
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 CNO
Departure City CHINO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1958
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 10:35AM
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 --