Sonex SONEX TRIGEAR accident near Fawnskin, CA
On October 20, 2014, a Sonex SONEX TRIGEAR (airplane) was involved in an accident near Fawnskin, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 20, 2014
- Place
- Fawnskin, CA
- Aircraft
- Sonex SONEX TRIGEAR · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 34.258°N, 116.941°W
- NTSB ID
- 20141020X44147
Official records · WPR15FA016
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 20, 2014, about 1045 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Sonex Tri-gear, N91922, collided with terrain near Fawnskin, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence. The cross-country personal flight departed Big Bear City Airport, Big Bear, California, about 1035 with a planned destination of Mesa, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot departed from runway 26; the airport was located about 1 mile east of Big Bear Lake. Witnesses observed the airplane about 200 feet above ground level over Big Bear Lake, but noted that this was below the level of surrounding terrain. As the airplane approached a cove, it banked left to almost 90 degrees. The nose dropped to a nearly vertical attitude until ground impact. PERSONNEL INFORMATION A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records revealed that the 60-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot held a third-class medical certificate issued on March 8, 2005, with the limitation that he must have glasses available for near vision. The accident airplane was a light sport model, which does not require a medical certificate to operate. The pilot also held a light sport repairman certificate. No personal flight records were located for the pilot. The National Tr
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed after takeoff, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall/spin at low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the airplane's reduced climb performance due to a carbon-fouled engine cylinder, the airplane's lack of wheel pants and fairings, and the high density altitude conditions.
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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.
