Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Chico Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Paradise, California 95969
Tuesady, August 13, 2013 11:30 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On August 13, 2013 about 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Champion 7GCAA, N9607S, collided with the ground while maneuvering near Paradise, California. The airplane was registered to the pilot and operated by AA Aerial Surveillance, LLC. under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an aerial observation flight. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The cross-country flight originated from the Nut Tree Airport (VCB), Vacaville, California about 0850 with a destination of Chico Municipal Airport (CIC), Chico, California.
According to a representative from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Company, the pilot was flying pipeline patrol on a gas transmission line that services Paradise. The underground pipeline extends northeast along the top of a flat ridge surrounded on either side by rugged canyons.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a witness, who was an observer in a fire lookout tower at Sawmill Peak located nine miles northeast of the accident site, reported that a high wing airplane made approximately three large right circles and then depart to the south. The witness stated that he did not see the airplane descend or see the accident sequence.
Examination of the accident site revealed that the wreckage was located near the bottom of a canyon and was mostly consumed by postimpact fire. The debris path was about 50 feet in length and about 20 feet wide. Postimpact fire was found throughout the debris path and through surrounding terrain. About 21 acres of land was burned. All major structural components were located within the debris path. The wreckage was relocated to a secured facility for further examination.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/13/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1130 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Paradise |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 95969 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 394204N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1214024W |
| Event Location Airport | Chico Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CIC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 11 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 240 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1059 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCIC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 240 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| 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) | 25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.97 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KCIC 131759Z 00000KT 25SM SKC 26/09 A2997 RMK FU |
| 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) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | NW Pacific, FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 24 2013 6:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9607S |
| NTSB Number | WPR13FA370 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CHAMPION |
| Aircraft Model | 7GCAA |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 52 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 12 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Vacaville |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 95687 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AA Aerial Surveillance, LLC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Vacaville |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 95687 |
| 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) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KVCB |
| Departure City | NutTree Airport |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 850 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KCIC |
| Destination City | Chico Municipal |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 24 2013 6:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| 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 | -- |