Fall River Mills Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fall River Mills, California 96028
Friday, May 23, 2008 10:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses reported that the airplane flew low over the local area golf course before banking to the right to land at the airport. The landing gear and flaps were down during the low pass. The witnesses then observed the airplane bank to the right, depart controlled flight, and dive to the ground in a nose-down attitude. The wreckage was confined to a small area in a grove of trees. Airframe and engine examinations revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering for landing, resulting in an aerodynamic stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/23/2008
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1020
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Fall River Mills
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96028
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410018N
Event Location Longitude 1212650W
Event Location Airport Fall River Mills Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O89
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 3323
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1005 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID AAT
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1700
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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.48
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25086
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date May 23 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2009 4:57PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SAC-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1886L
NTSB Number LAX08FA152
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model V35B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number D-9895
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 8 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3979.7
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Keith T. Paulson
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Albion
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95410
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Keith T. Paulson
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Albion
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 95410
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 STS
Departure City SANTA ROSA
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code O89
Destination City Fall River Mill
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2009 4:55PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --