Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Claremont, California 91711
Monday, September 24, 1990 17:38 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IN A SPIN, AND THEN COLLIDE WITH THE TERRAIN. THEY DID NOT HEAR THE ENGINE OR UNUSUAL NOISES. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, AND ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DIFFICULTY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF CONTROL FOR UNDETERMINED REASON(S).

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/24/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1738
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CLAREMONT
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91711
Event Date Year 1990
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1646 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 219
Weather Observation Facility ID POC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1011
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2065
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44492
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9JE
NTSB Number LAX90DUG10
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 ELY
Aircraft Model THORP T-18
Aircraft Series Identifier THORP T-18
Aircraft Serial Number 892
Certified Max Gross Weight 1525
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 Jan 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 221
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES E. DUVAL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2266 E. GALBRETH RD.
Aircraft Owner City PASADENA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91104
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 POC
Departure City LA VERNE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1606
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 Unknown
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 --