chualar plane crash

8/4/2019 Chualar Plane Crash

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National Transportation Safety Board

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Occurrence Date:

Occurrence Type:

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Location/Time

Most Critical Injury:

Investigated By:

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Nearest City/Place

Aircraft Information

Registration Number

State Zip Code

Aircraft Manufacturer

Local Time Time Zone

Model/Series Number

Minor NoneSerious

Amateur Built Aircraft?

Air Medical Transport Flight:

Fatal

Type of Aircraft:

Injury Summary:

Revenue Sightseeing Flight:

Narrative

Brief narrative statement of facts, conditions and circumstances pertinent to the accident/incident:

Printed on : 10/6/2011 5:10:24

YesAirplane

1

On September 29, 2011, about 1850 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Zivko/Poe

Edge 540 aerobatic airplane, N42GP, was substantially damaged when it impacted the pilot's vineyard

property in Chualar, California. The certificated private pilot/owner received fatal injuries. The

personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight.

The airplane was based at Salinas Airport (SNS), Salinas, California, and was one of several

registered to the pilot. According to information provided by Lockheed Martin Flight Services

(LMFS), the pilot did not contact them or the Direct User Automated Terminal System for weather or

flight planning information. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) information, the

airplane departed SNS about 1841 PDT. Witnesses and family members reported that the pilot

frequently performed aerobatics in that airplane in the airspace over his property. Witnesses

reported that the airplane was performing aerobatics when the accident occurred.

The initial impact point was evidenced by a ground scar on a dirt road that separated two planting

areas in the vineyard. The ground scar measured about 20 feet long, and increased in width and

depth along a magnetic heading of about 082 degrees. That scar terminated at a row of 3-inch

diameter metal posts, spaced about 8 feet apart, that supported the vineyard trellises. Two posts

were fracture-separated near their bases, and three more were bent over in the direction of the

debris path. The primary debris field extended approximately 160 feet beyond the initial impact

point. The airplane was highly fragmented, and most of the wreckage was entangled in the vineyard

trellises and grapevines. The first two items in the ground scar were a segment of fuselage

structural tubing and a propeller blade tip. One magneto, the tailwheel, and an aerodynamic surface

balance weight were found about 500 feet beyond, and 150 feet above, the initial impact point. All

major components of the engine and airplane, including all aerodynamic control surfaces, were

accounted for at the accident site. A handheld global positioning system unit and an engine monitor

were recovered from the wreckage and sent to the NTSB recorders laboratory in Washington, DC, for

possible data download. The remainder of the wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for

additional follow-up examination.

FAA records indicated that the airplane was equipped with a Lycoming IO-540 series engine, and was

first registered to the pilot's family in 2009. FAA records indicated that the pilot held a private

pilot certificate with rotorcraft-helicopter, and single- and multi-engine land airplane ratings.

His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued in July 2011, and his most recent

flight review was completed in September 2009.

The 1853 automated weather observation at SNS, located about 9 miles north of the accident site,

included winds from 320 degrees at 14 knots; visibility 10 miles; and an overcast cloud layer at

1,100 feet above ground level.

Updated on Oct 5 2011 1:12PM

NoNo

540POE G L/POE S YN42GP

NTSB

Fatal

PDT185093925CAChualar

Accident

09/29/2011

WPR11FA474


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Model/Series NumberAircraft ManufacturerRegistration Number

Other Aircraft Involved

Accident Information

Aircraft Damage: Accident Occurred During:

Certificate No. InjuryNameCrew

Pilot

2

3

4

5

6

Operator Information

Name

Street Address

Operator Designator Code

City

Doing Business As

State Zip Code

Observation Time (Local):

Altimeter: "H

Pag

-Type of Certificate(s) Held:

Air Carrier Operating Certificate(s):

Operating Certificate:

Regulation Flight Conducted Under:

Type of Flight Operations Conducted:

Operator Certificate:

Flight Plan/Itinerary

Type of Flight Plan Filed:

Last Departure Point

Destination

State Airport Identifier

Airport IdentifierState

Weather Information

Investigator's Source:

Sky/Lowest Cloud Condition:

Facility ID:

Ft. AGL Visibility:

Ft. AGL

SM

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Lowest Ceiling:

FatalOn FileOn File

29.92101100Overcast

1853SNSUnknown

SNSCALocal Flight

SNSCASalinas

Unknown

Personal

Part 91: General Aviation

None

93901-1818CASALINAS

Daniel L Franscioni

Substantial

Accident

09/29/2011

WPR11FA474


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PRELIMINARY REPORT

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NTSB ID:

Occurrence Date:

Occurrence Type:

Date

Wind Direction:

Weather Conditions at Accident Site:

Weather Information (Continued from page 2)

Temperature: C Dew Point:

Wind Speed: Kts. Gusts:

Administration Data

Notification From

C

Kts.

Investigator-In-Charge (IIC)FAA District Office/Coordinator

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION - SUBJECT TO CHANGE Page

FAA FSDOJeffrey Ebey

FAA Comm Center

Michael C. Huhn

Visual Conditions14

3201418

Accident

09/29/2011

WPR11FA474

chualar plane crash

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