Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marana, Arizona 85653
Sunday, August 19, 1990 17:40 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRCRAFT ENTER INTO A HAMMERHEAD TURN, LOSE CONTROL AND PROCEED INTO AN INVERTED FLAT SPIN UNTIL IT WENT OUT OF SIGHT. THEY REPORTED THE ENGINE WAS AT FULL POWER AT THE TIME. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS EXISTED AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A 60 DEGREE NOSE DOWN, WINGS LEVEL UPRIGHT ATTITUDE. BOTH PILOTS WERE WEARING PARACHUTES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1740
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MARANA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85653
Event Date Year 1990
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1745 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1891
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 11000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2067
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45468
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3272U
NTSB Number LAX90DUJ06
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 CHRISTEN/WALTER
Aircraft Model CHRISTEN EAGLE II
Aircraft Series Identifier CHRISTEN E
Aircraft Serial Number WALTER 0001
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Oct 26 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 157
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT P. KELLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4601 E. SKYLINE DR. 813
Aircraft Owner City TUCSON
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85718
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FRED A. LEIDIG
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1335 W. DAWN
Operator City TUCSON
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85704
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code E14
Departure City MARDAMA/AURA
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1710
Departure Time Zone MST
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --