Jacumba Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jacumba, California 91934
Friday, March 15, 2002 13:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The experimental airplane collided with terrain during an attempted landing. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane at a low altitude, flying slowly toward the airport. The airplane made a sharp right turn, and, about 20 feet above ground level, the right wing dropped. The airplane continued in the turn until the right wing contacted ground. The airplane cartwheeled along the terrain, and became engulfed in flames shortly after coming to rest. Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed no apparent mechanical anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/2002
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Jacumba
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91934
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 323657N
Event Location Longitude 1160953W
Event Location Airport Jacumba Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L78
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2844
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID CZZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 2612
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.92
Density Altitude (feet) 2990
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16317
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1355
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 29 2004 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FSDO, SAN DIEGO, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N491T
NTSB Number LAX02LA109
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Trenti
Aircraft Model RV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 891
Certified Max Gross Weight 1675
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 791
Airframe Hours 791
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mario F. Trenti
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Jacumba
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91934
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 SEE
Departure City El Cajon
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1320
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code L78
Destination City Jacumba
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 16 2004 6:17PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 2508
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --