Lacholla Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucson, Arizona 85710
Thursday, August 23, 1990 13:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE UNREGISTERED, NON-CERTIFICATED HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW, INVERTED ATTITUDE WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TO BE LOW AND SLOW, AND STALL WHILE TURNING FROM BASE TO FINAL APPROACH. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, STRUCTURE, AND FLIGHT CONTROLS FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/23/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TUCSON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85710
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 LACHOLLA AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 40E
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 2940
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 Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1792
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 23 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43522
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 N4203
NTSB Number LAX90DUJ09
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name STITS
Aircraft Model SA6B
Aircraft Series Identifier SA6B
Aircraft Serial Number P2159
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 74
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LOWE RALPH J
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2552 BUCHANNAN AVE.
Aircraft Owner City OGDEN
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALMADA, ERNEST
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 501 S KENYON DR.
Operator City TUCSON
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85710
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1240
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 Approach
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 19
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 36
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --