Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Rancho Murieta Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wallace, California 95254
Thursday, November 6, 2008 17:20 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the test flight of the experimental airplane, an on-board video camera recorded the takeoff and the pilot activating the landing gear retraction about 2 minutes after takeoff. Approximately 2 1/2 minutes later, the recording showed the pilot's hand slipping from the throttle and his head tilting forward. There were no subsequent coordinated movements made by the pilot, though the airplane remained airborne for about an hour. During this time, the video showed a series of descending and climbing turns varying in altitude between 1,900 feet and 3,800 feet mean sea level (msl). The test flight also included a second airplane, which was also videotaping the test flight. The recorded video from the second airplane verified the same flight path as the recording from the accident airplane. The airborne witnesses observed the accident airplane flying erratically for about an hour before they had to return to the airport due to fuel considerations. During the hour-long flight, the pilot of the second airplane attempted unsuccessfully several times to contact the accident pilot by radio. At one point, the second airplane was able to fly adjacent to the accident airplane. The airborne witnesses observed the accident pilot slumped over the flight controls and unresponsive. The airplane eventually collided with flat open terrain. Post accident examination of the engine found no evidence of a preimpact malfunction. The condition of the pilot's remains did not permit determination of whether the pilot was deceased prior to impact. Toxicology tests of post-mortem samples from the pilot detected alfuzosin, a prescription medication used for the treatment of prostate enlargement. Alfuzosin can rarely result in an unsafe drop in blood pressure, particularly with the first dose, or an increase in dose, but the medication typically does not have any adverse effects, and is routinely approved by the FAA.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's incapacitation during cruise for unknown reasons that resulted in a loss of aircraft control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/6/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1720 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Wallace |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 95254 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 381332N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1205743W |
| Event Location Airport | Rancho Murieta |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | RIU |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 17 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 141 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SAC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 24 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 19 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| 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) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 340 |
| 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) | 29.85 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26397 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA AWP Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 9 2009 12:53PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N80715 |
| NTSB Number | WPR09LA032 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Universal |
| Aircraft Model | Globe |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | GC-1A |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 118 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Walter G. Boeck |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Rancho Murieta |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 95683 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Walter G. Boeck |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Rancho Murieta |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 95683 |
| 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 | RIU |
| Departure City | Rancho Murieta |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1610 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | RIU |
| Destination City | Rancho Murieta |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 9 2009 12:53PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |