Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Incline Village, Nevada 89450
Saturday, September 28, 1991 13:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CHRISTIAN EAGLE II COLLIDED WITH THE WATER WHILE PERFORMING AEROBATICS. NUMEROUS WITNESSES INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO AERODYNAMICALLY STALL AT THE TOP OF A VERTICAL CLIMB AS IN A HAMMERHEAD MANEUVER AND THEN ENTERED INTO A SPIN. THE AIRPLANE STOPPED SPINNING AND CONTINUED TO DESCEND IN A 45 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE UNTIL IT COLLIDED WITH THE WATER'S SURFACE. THE PILOT HELD A FAA STATEMENT OF ACROBATIC COMPETENCY WHICH WAS ISSUED ON MAY 13, 1991. ACCORDING TO THE CHRISTIAN EAGLE II PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK SPINS ARE APPROVED MANEUVERS AND MAY BE PERFORMED INTENTIONALLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOVER FROM THE MANEUVER IN A TIMELY MANNER WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE STRIKING THE WATER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/28/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City INCLINE VILLAGE
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89450
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
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 1345 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 102
Weather Observation Facility ID TVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 5900
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 2077
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46445
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:44AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N432EC
NTSB Number LAX91LA412
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 CHRISTIAN IND.
Aircraft Model EAGLE II
Aircraft Series Identifier EAGLE II
Aircraft Serial Number 0001
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Fixed
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 BECK, DONALD
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 446
Aircraft Owner City CRYSTAL BAY
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89402
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BECK, DONALD
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 446
Operator City CRYSTAL BAY
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89402
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code O04
Departure City CARSON CITY
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TRK
Destination City TRUCKEE
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 10:30AM
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 --