Frech Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Murrieta, California 92563
Friday, May 30, 2008 11:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had made multiple touch-and-go landings prior to the accident. Witnesses observed the airplane heading in a southerly direction toward the runway of intended landing before making a hard right turn and subsequently nosing into the ground. One witness said he heard a "loud engine rev" before the engine " died out." A post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the propeller was not under power when it impacted terrain. It was also revealed that the interior of the wings, the wreckage, the vegetation, and the ground did not indicate any signs of a fuel odor or a fuel spill. An examination of the aircraft and engine failed to reveal any preimpact anomalies, which would have precluded normal operation. An FAA inspector reported it appeared that the airplane had run out of fuel and stalled on approach, causing it to enter a spin prior to impacting terrain in a near vertical attitude.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and the pilot's failure to maintain flying speed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and the subsequent collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/30/2008
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Murrieta
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92563
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 333504N
Event Location Longitude 1170701W
Event Location Airport Frech Valley
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F70
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 1350
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 335
Weather Observation Facility ID CNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 650
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 39
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
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) 30.03
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 --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24630
NTSB Notification Source Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date May 30 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 19 2008 5:00PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Riverside, California

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N109DC
NTSB Number SEA08LA145
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Poulin L/Cullen D
Aircraft Model Lancair Legacy
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number L2K 176
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Leroy D Poulin
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Carson
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90746
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Leroy D Poulin
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Carson
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 90746
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code F70
Departure City Murrieta
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 F70
Destination City Murrieta
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 Nov 19 2008 5:00PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --