Saline Valley Landing Zone Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Death Valley, California 92328
Thursday, May 4, 2006 13:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with terrain about 1,300 feet short of the runway. The pilot extended the downwind leg of the traffic pattern to allow for adequate separation at his destination airport. While turning onto final approach he extended the flaps to the 20-degree position and reduced the airspeed to 60 miles per hour (mph). As the airplane approached the runway the pilot noted that he was too close to the ground with too slow of an airspeed. He applied full power but the airplane settled toward the terrain. The pilot noted no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during final approach, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush and collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/4/2006
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Death Valley
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92328
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 364825N
Event Location Longitude 1174654W
Event Location Airport Saline Valley Landing Zone
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1350
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20199
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2006 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N160SE
NTSB Number LAX06CA163
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Indus Aviation
Aircraft Model T211
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 016
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Russell Herbert
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Pioneer
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BIH
Departure City Bishop
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Death Valley
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 31 2006 4:33PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 05
Runway Length 1300
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --