Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Whiteman Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Santa Clarita, California 91321
Saturday, July 18, 2009 12:05 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A witness in the area of the accident observed the low flying airplane enter into a steep, almost vertical, climb. Near the top of the climb, the witness thought that the engine power was reduced to idle and that it appeared that the airplane stalled during the vertical maneuver. The witness estimated that the airplane tumbled two or three times before entering a downward spiral. The airplane then made two full rotations in the spiral at a 45-degree angle until it impacted a roadway. The witness reported that he could clearly see the rudder and ailerons moving until the impact, and believed that the pilot was manipulating the controls in an attempt to regain control of the airplane. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed and control of the airplane during the maneuver sequence and did not have sufficient altitude to recover before ground impact. Toxicology testing of the pilot detected buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine in the liver and kidney. A review of the pilot’s medical history revealed that he had been under treatment for heroin addiction with buprenorphine at the time of the accident, but the role of any potential impairment due to his medical condition and/or the use of the medication could not be conclusively established. The pilot had not indicated either his condition or his medication use on his most recent application for a Federal Aviation Administration airman medical certificate.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and control while maneuvering.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/18/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1205 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Santa Clarita |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 91321 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 342405N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1182525W |
| Event Location Airport | Whiteman Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | WHP |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1003 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1151 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 230 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | VNY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 802 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 34 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| 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) | 29290 |
| 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 21 2011 4:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | andj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N244RR |
| NTSB Number | WPR09LA357 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Weiss |
| Aircraft Model | Lancair |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | JC003 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| 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 | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ron Weiss |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Encino |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 91316 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Ron Weiss |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Encino |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 91316 |
| 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 | EMT |
| Departure City | El Monte |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1153 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | WHP |
| Destination City | Whiteman |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 18 2011 4:00PM |
| 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 | -- |