ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 150250
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Monday 15 October 2012 |
| Time: | 05:15 |
| Type: |  Aerotrek A240 Eurofox Pro |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N72AH |
| MSN: | 32511 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 123 hours |
| Engine model: | Rotax 912ULS |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Near Half Moon Bay, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Half Moon Bay, CA (HAF) |
| Apple Valley, CA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
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.
Probable Cause: 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.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Oct-2012 01:30 | Alpine Flight | Added |
| 20-Oct-2012 06:23 | fgcanales | Updated [Date, Location] |
| 20-Oct-2012 13:05 | fgcanales | Updated [Narrative] |
| 03-Dec-2017 16:34 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Plane category] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation