LOMPOC, CA, USA
N65JP
PASPORELLO, J.F. RV-3
THE PILOT RECENTLY PURCHASED THE EXPERIMENTAL HOME BUILT AIRPLANE. THE PILOT INDICATED TO AN ACQUAINTANCE THAT HE PLANNED TO FLY OVER THE WITNESS' HOUSE AND SHOW HIM HIS AIRPLANE. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE PERFORM A 120 DEGREE CLIMBING TURN WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY AN ABRUPT LEFT CLIMBING TURN, AND THEN A FIRE WAS OBSERVED. OTHER WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING A FIRE AROUND BOTH WINGS, AND THEN THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED UNTIL COLLIDING WITH THE HARD GROUND IN A NOSE LOW PITCH ATTITUDE. A FIRE IMMEDIATELY ERUPTED WHICH FURTHER DESTROYED THE FRAGMENTED STRUCTURE. THE EVENT WHICH PRECIPITATED THE IN FLIGHT FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE AIRPLANE'S SLIDE TYPE CANOPY, WHICH SMELLED OF SMOKE, WAS FOUND ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE CRASH SITE.
THE FAILURE OF AN UNIDENTIFIED AIRFRAME OR COMPONENT SYSTEM FOR UNKNOWN REASONS AND THE RESULTING INFLIGHT FIRE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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