Icon Aircraft Inc A5 accident near Lake Berryessa, CA
On May 8, 2017, an Icon Aircraft Inc A5 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Lake Berryessa, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 8, 2017
- Place
- Lake Berryessa, CA
- Aircraft
- Icon Aircraft Inc A5 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 38.540°N, 122.143°W
- NTSB ID
- 20170508X45426
Official records · WPR17FA101
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 8, 2017, about 0908 Pacific daylight time, an amphibious, light sport Icon Aircraft, Inc., A5, N184BA, impacted terrain while maneuvering near Lake Berryessa, California. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by Icon Aircraft, Inc., Vacaville, California, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed near the accident site about the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from Nut Tree Airport (VCB), Vacaville, California, at 0852. Representatives from Icon Aircraft reported that the pilot was conducting a new employee familiarization flight with the passenger, who the company had recently hired. A witness, who was in a boat on Lake Berryessa near the entrance to Little Portuguese Canyon, reported seeing the airplane flying about 30 to 50 ft above the lake at what appeared to be between 30 to 40 mph. The witness stated that the engine was running smoothly and that the airplane was level. The airplane passed by his position flying in a northerly direction and entered Little Portuguese Canyon. The witness reported hearing the engine "rev up and accelerate hard" as the airplane approached the right side of the canyon "in what appeared to be an effort to climb out of" the canyon. Subsequently, the airplane climbed to about 100 ft above ground level and then entered a left turn as it began to quickly descend. The witness stated th
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's mistaken entry into a canyon surrounded by steep rising terrain while at a low altitude for reasons that could not be determined.
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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.
