ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed PV-2D Harpoon N7250C Lakeport, CA
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Saturday 29 September 1990
Time:12:29
Type:Silhouette image of generic L37 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Lockheed PV-2D Harpoon
Operator:Douglas M. Lacey
Registration: N7250C
MSN: 15-1605
First flight:
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney R-2800-31
Crew:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Passengers:Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Total:Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Lakeport, CA (   United States of America)
Phase: Maneuvering (MNV)
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Airport, CA (STS/KSTS), United States of America
Destination airport:Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Airport, CA (STS/KSTS), United States of America
Narrative:
The airplane operated on a private flight out of Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Airport, California, USA. It was observed making several low passes, with its smoke generators operating, over seaplanes anchored in a lake. The last pass was reportedly at an altitude less than 50 ft, and then the airplane was observed entering an abnormally steep climb, followed by a near vertical nose-down attitude to impact. A video tape shows that both propellers were turning. The pilot had received his multi-engine rating in a Beechcraft 76 on March 6, 1990, and his type rating in the airplane March 28, 1990.

Probable Cause:

CAUSE: The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain airspeed during a pull-up from a low pass. Factors which contributed to the accident were: the pilot's poor judgement in buzzing the seaplanes which resulted in insufficient altitude to recover from the stall, and the pilot's inexperience in the airplane.

Accident investigation:

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Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 years and 7 months
Accident number: LAX90FA336
Download report: Summary report

Classification:
Loss of control

Sources:
» NTSB


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This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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