Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Half Moon Bay Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Half Moon Bay, California 94019
Monday, October 15, 2012 5:15 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument-rated sport pilot was departing on a cross-country flight about the time local weather reports indicated 3/4 mile visibility, mist, and an overcast ceiling at 300 feet above the ground. Recorded radar data showed the airplane ascending after takeoff and turning left to an altitude of 1,100 feet mean sea level (msl). As the left turn continued, the airplane descended to an altitude of about 600 feet msl. The last recorded radar data for the accident airplane occurred less than 1/4 mile from the accident site. The airplane wreckage was located about 400 yards west of the departure airport on a bluff that overlooked and paralleled the runway. Examination of the accident site revealed ground scars and airplane damage consistent with a continuous descent from the last recorded radar data to impact. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
The restricted visibility and low ceilings that were reported in the area at the time of the accident would have been conducive to the development of spatial disorientation and the pilot’s subsequent loss of airplane control while turning, most likely in an attempt to return to the runway.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to depart into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of airplane control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/15/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 515 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Half Moon Bay |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 94019 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 373037N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1223019W |
| Event Location Airport | Half Moon Bay Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | HAF |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 66 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HAF |
| 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 | 300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| 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) | 32040 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ROC-LA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 5 2013 1:38PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N72AH |
| NTSB Number | WPR13FA013 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AEROPRO CZ |
| Aircraft Model | A240 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32511 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 8 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 123 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HAYDEN ANDREW C |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | PUNTA GORDA |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33982-2381 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | HAYDEN ANDREW C |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | PUNTA GORDA |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33982-2381 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | HAF |
| Departure City | Half Moon Bay |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 550 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Apple Valley |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 5 2013 1:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 30 |
| Runway Length | 5000 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |