Vans RV10 accident near Sausalito, CA
On May 6, 2022, a Vans RV10 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Sausalito, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 6, 2022
- Place
- Sausalito, CA
- Aircraft
- Vans RV10 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 37.834°N, 122.491°W
- NTSB ID
- 20220506105050
Official records · WPR22FA172
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC - Group Chair's Factual Report: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC - Attachment 1 - ATC Audio Partial Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC - Attachment 2 - Ads-B Data: Document (CSV), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 6, 2022, about 1210 Pacific daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Vans RV-10, N54MG, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sausalito, California. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Flight track data was captured by both automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) data and information downloaded from onboard avionics. Both sources were consistent for most of the flight, while the ADS-B coverage became intermittent after about 1205:10. The track data showed that the airplane departed Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC), Sacramento, California, about 1129 and transitioned into a climb on a southwesterly heading. The airplane leveled off about 5,500 ft mean sea level (msl) about 6 minutes later. The airplane turned south about 12 minutes later and subsequently entered a descent as it flew along San Pablo Bay towards San Francisco Bay. At 1151, the pilot contacted air traffic control and reported that he was descending from 4,500 ft to 2,500 ft, and advised he would be conducting the “Bay Tour” on his way to Half Moon Bay Airport (HAF). The controller acknowledged and instructed the pilot to remain north and west of the Bay Bridge, outside of the San Francisco Class B airspace (which overlaid the area starting at an altitude of 3,000 ft msl), and to advise when he had obtained the weather information at HAF. The pilot acknowledged. At 1158, the airplane started a 360° right turn around Alcatraz Island and the
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper decision to continue a visual flight rules flight into an area of limited visibility conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control.
More accidents in CA
- Douglas MD-83, Feb 1, 2000
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, Aug 31, 1986
- British Aerospace BAE-146-200, Dec 8, 1987
- Beech C-99, Aug 24, 1984
- Sikorsky S-61N, Aug 6, 2008
Browse: California · Vans aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
