O'Neil VAN'S RV-3 accident near Arbuckle, CA
On September 26, 1998, an O'Neil VAN'S RV-3 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Arbuckle, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 26, 1998
- Place
- Arbuckle, CA
- Aircraft
- O'Neil VAN'S RV-3 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.021°N, 122.041°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X11088
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 26, 1998, about 0810 hours Pacific daylight time, an amateur-built experimental O'Neil Van's RV-3, N244WW, experienced an in-flight breakup over Arbuckle, California. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight by the pilot/owner when the accident occurred. The flight originated from Redding, California, about 0730, and was en route to Atwater, California. According to witnesses, instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site and no flight plan was filed. A witness, positioned about 1 mile from the scene of the accident, heard an aircraft fly overhead. He was unable to establish visual contact due to the presence of an overcast ceiling and misting precipitation, which also reduced visibility. Another witness, positioned about 0.5 miles from the scene of the accident, reported that he saw the airplane break out of the bottom of an overcast cloud layer. He said that as he spotted the aircraft, it was accompanied by increased engine sounds and falling parts. During the descent, the right wing separated. The aircraft subsequently crashed in a grove of almond trees on the west side of Interstate 5. The witness estimated the base of the overcast to be about 400 feet agl. The pilot had reportedly planned to attend an EAA Fly-In that was being held at Castle airport near Atwater. PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airman and Medical Records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with an airpl
Probable cause
The pilot's attempt to continue VFR flight in instrument conditions, which led to his spatial disorientation and in-flight loss of aircraft control, and, resulted in a pilot-induced overload failure of the airframe. The pilot's use of quinine may have been a factor in this accident.
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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.
