Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary LAX91FA329

EARP, CA, USA

Aircraft #1

N3813U

BEECH F33A

Analysis

DURING THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT HOME, A FRIEND OF THE PILOT ASKED ONE OF THE PILOT'S THREE PASSENGERS TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF HIS RESIDENCE. THE PILOT AGREED TO FLY BY THE FRIEND'S RESIDENCE WHILE HIS PASSENGER PHOTOGRAPHED IT. WHILE FLYING, THE PILOT INITIALLY STAYED BETWEEN 150 AND 500 FEET ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE TERRAIN. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TRAVELING SLOWLY. SECONDS AFTER THE AIRPLANE PASSED BY THE SPECIFIED RESIDENCE, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN WITH A REPORTED ANGLE OF BANK BETWEEN 75 AND 90 DEGREES. THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE PITCHED DOWNWARD, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND IT CRASHED INTO THE MARSH-LIKE AREA ADJACENT TO THE NEARBY RESORT COMMUNITY.

Probable Cause and Findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING DURING A LOW PASS, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: LACK OF ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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