Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Riverside, California
Sunday, December 5, 1982 13:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES STATED HE HEARD AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT FLYING (RATHER SLOW AND LOW) OVER THE CANYON. HE HEARD THE ENGINE "SPUTTERING" AND THEN OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT APPEAR TO STALL FOLLOWED BY A STEEP DESCENT INTO THE HILLY TERRAIN. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AT THE 1300 FOOT LEVEL ON A STEEP HILLSIDE AND EXPLODED. POST IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED ALL BUT PORTIONS OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING, WINGLETS, ENGINE PROPELLER HUB, AIR SCOOP AND PORTIONS OF THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENTATION. THE BASIC ENGINE SHOWED NO PREIMPACT FAILURE AND AMPLE LUBRICATION WAS EVIDENT. BOTH MAGNETOS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE FUEL GASCOLATOR BOWL WAS CONTAMINATED, AS WERETHE FILTER SCREENS, WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE FIBERGLASS/EPOXY RESIN SHAVINGS AND DUST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/5/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City RIVERSIDE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 12
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID RIV
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
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 Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 72
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3411
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1182Z
NTSB Number LAX83FA048
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name VARIEZE
Aircraft Model RUATAN
Aircraft Series Identifier RUATAN
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 1050
Aircraft Category Unknown
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LLOYD J MACDOWELL, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9128 NATIONAL BLVD #2
Aircraft Owner City LOS ANGELES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90034
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LLOYD J MACDOWELL, JR.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 9128 NATIONAL BLVD #2
Operator City LOS ANGELES
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90034
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 RIVERSIDE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City RIVERSIDE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
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 --