Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shingle Springs, California 95682
Sunday, July 10, 1983 15:47 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH AN OAK TREE WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALT. THE WEATHER WAS VMC. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING TO MAINTAIN A BATTERY CHARGE. HE SAID HE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 1600-1700 FT MSL AND FLEW SOUTHEAST. THE AVERAGE ELEVATION ALONG THIS ROUTE IS 1300 FT MSL. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE APPROACHED SHINGLE SPRINGS HIS ENGINE STARTED TO MISFIRE. HE TURNED TOWARD AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. DURING THE TURN HIS ENGINE REGAINED POWER SO HE CONTINUED THE TURN TO ROLL OUT ON HIS ORIGINAL HEADING. IT WAS DURING THIS LAST PORTION OF THE TURN THAT THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE & CRASHED WITNESSES SAID THEY SAW THE ACFT MAKE 2 COMPLETE CIRCLES OF THE AREA AT 200 FT AGL BEFORE THE COLLISION. THEY ALSO SAID HAD SEEN THIS ACFT CIRCLING THIS AREA ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/10/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1547
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SHINGLE SPRINGS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95682
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 7
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1065
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21373
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1882G
NTSB Number LAX83FVG13
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 7ECA
Aircraft Series Identifier 7ECA
Aircraft Serial Number 604
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 Dec 1 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 2380
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANCIS R. HIGHTOWER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2500 DEER TRAIL LN.
Aircraft Owner City CAMERON PARK
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95682
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 061
Departure City SHINGLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
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 10:36AM
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 --