Boeing E75 accident near Fairfield, CA

On May 4, 2014, a Boeing E75 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Fairfield, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

May 4, 2014

Place

Fairfield, CA

Aircraft

Boeing E75 · Airplane

Injuries

1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

38.264°N, 121.924°W

NTSB ID

20140504X90153

Official records · WPR14FA182

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• Record of Communications - Performers: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• USAF ATCT Communications Transcripts: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 4, 2014, about 1359 Pacific daylight time, a Boeing E75, N68828, was destroyed when it impacted runway 21R during an aerial demonstration flight at Travis Air Force Base (SUU), Fairfield, California. The commercial pilot/owner received fatal injuries. The exhibition 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 pilot was one of several civilian aerial demonstration pilots who performed at the 2-day SUU "Thunder Over Solano" open house, which included both static (ground) and aerial (flight) displays. According to United States Air Force (USAF) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) information, Friday, May 2, was the practice day, while the public event took place on Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4. The pilot flew two flight demonstration airplanes at the event; a North American P-51, and the accident airplane. All his flights preceding the accident flight were uneventful. The accident occurred during a "ribbon-cut maneuver," whereby a ribbon was suspended transversely across the runway, between two poles held by ground crew personnel, and situated about 20 feet above the runway. The planned maneuver consisted of a total of three passes. The first two passes were to be conducted with the airplane upright, and were not planned to contact the ribbon. The final pass was to be conducted inverted, and the airplane would cut the ribbon with its vertical stabilizer. The first two passes were successful, but on the thir

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the runway during a low-level aerobatic maneuver due to his impairment by an over-the-counter antihistamine. Contributing to the severity of the pilot's injuries were the pilot's lack of fire protective clothing, his inability to egress the cockpit, the rapid spread of the fire, and the decision of the air show's organizers not to have the airport res

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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.