Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Elsinore, California 92330
Thursday, August 1, 1991 17:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DEPARTED THE PRIVATELY OWNED AIRPORT ON AN ACROBATIC FLIGHT OVER A LAKE. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ENTER INTO A SERIES OF LOOPS AND ROLLS AT LESS THAN 300 FT ABOVE THE GROUND. WHEN IT ENTERED A HAMMERHEAD STALL MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SPIN IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE FROM WHICH IT DID NOT RECOVER. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE LAKE IN THIS ATTITUDE KILLING THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED THE RIGHT ELEVATOR TUBE FAILED AT ITS BUTT-WELD JOINT WHILE IN FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IN-FLIGHT FAILURE OF THE RIGHT ELEVATOR. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S DECISION TO PERFORM AEROBATICS AT AN IMPROPER ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LAKE ELSINORE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92330
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
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) 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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1769
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45647
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1693G
NTSB Number LAX91LA340
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 CHAMPION
Aircraft Model 7GCBC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7GCBC
Aircraft Serial Number 136
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
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 28 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 1572
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HALBEISEN, JOHN F
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5695 FREEPIKE
Aircraft Owner City TROTWOOD
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45426
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HALBEISEN, JOHN F
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 5695 FREEPIKE
Operator City TROTWOOD
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 45426
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 L49
Departure City LAKE ELSINORE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1645
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 --