Big Bear City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Bear City, California 92314
Monday, August 8, 2005 12:58 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane made a sudden steep turn to the right, rolled inverted, and impacted the ground just after the landing flare. Witnesses observed the airplane make a normal landing approach to runway 08 and flare. The engine suddenly went to full power, the nose pitched up, and the plane abruptly turned to the right. It then continued to roll right and impacted the ground inverted at the south edge of the airport boundary. The airplane's sudden turn and right roll is consistent with the result of a cross-control stall to the right, as described by the Airplane Flying Handbook. Two witnesses stated that they saw an airplane takeoff from runway 26 (in the opposite direction) moments after the crash. Approximately 5 minutes after the accident radar data identified a contact 2 miles east of the airport, traveling at 85 knots, departing the vicinity. Four minutes would be the approximate amount of time required for an airplane traveling at 85 knots to perform a downwind departure from the airport and appear on radar 2 miles to the east, if it followed the approximate 5.5-mile downwind departure route. Radar coverage to pattern altitude was not possible due to the mountainous terrain in which the airport is located. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of a preimpact malfunction or failure of the control system or power plant.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and adequate airspeed while executing an evasive maneuver during an aborted landing, which resulted in a cross-controlled accelerated stall and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the probable presence of another aircraft on the runway traveling in the opposite direction.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/2005
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1258
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Big Bear City
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92314
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 341504N
Event Location Longitude 1165102W
Event Location Airport Big Bear City
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KL35
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 6748
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KL35
Elevation of weather observation facility 6748
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.3
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20801
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 28 2006 9:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO-Riverside, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8540W
NTSB Number LAX05FA262
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-10041
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 3177
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Michael DeFilippo
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Rancho Cucamonga
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91730
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Rancho Cucamonga
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 91730
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 KHND
Departure City Las Vegas
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KL35
Destination City Big Bear City
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 20 2006 4:40PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 08
Runway Length 5850
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --