Knapp PACKARD SPECIAL accident near Wheaton Springs, CA
On April 30, 1995, a Knapp PACKARD SPECIAL (airplane) was involved in an accident near Wheaton Springs, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- April 30, 1995
- Place
- Wheaton Springs, CA
- Aircraft
- Knapp PACKARD SPECIAL · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.341°N, 115.430°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X03328
NTSB summary
On April 30, 1995, at 1025 Pacific daylight time, a home-built experimental Knapp Packard Special aircraft, N55851, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Wheaton Springs, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was on a local solo flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The certificated commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from the Jean airport, Jean, Nevada, at 1000 on the day of the accident. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft on a 180-degree heading over the Ivanpah Dry Lake Bed at approximately 20 feet agl. The aircraft was next observed descending abruptly and impacting the lake bed in a nose-low attitude. After impact, the aircraft nosed over and skidded approximately 150 feet before coming to rest in an inverted position. A postcrash inspection of the aircraft by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspectors revealed both main landing gear had been spread to the point of failure. A witness stated that the pilot had previously reported having difficulty in judging his height above touchdown. The area of the accident site is flat without trees, foliage, or ground objects. The pilot's medical certificate required that he wear glasses; the coroner's investigator reported the pilot was found wearing prescription eyeglasses and a cloth-type helmet with goggles. The pilot had recently begun actively flying again after approximately 17 years of inactivity. FAA inspectors reported that the pilot had a total of 596 flight hours prior to
Probable cause
the pilot's misjudged altitude and landing flare timing which resulted in a hard landing and nose over.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
