Meyer Fred J HORNET accident near Lucerne Valley, CA
On June 2, 2022, a Meyer Fred J HORNET (airplane) was involved in an accident near Lucerne Valley, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 2, 2022
- Place
- Lucerne Valley, CA
- Aircraft
- Meyer Fred J HORNET · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 34.432°N, 116.861°W
- NTSB ID
- 20220602105178
Official records · WPR22FA195
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On June 2, 2022, about 1130 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Hornet, N6366M, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lucerne Valley, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the pilot departed Big Bear Lake City Airport (L35), Big Bear, California, about 1115 and maneuvered to the north towards Lucerne Valley, California, south of California Highway 247. The airplane traveled east while performing aerobatic maneuvers, and then proceeded west. The last recorded data point was located about 1 mile east of the accident site and indicated an altitude about 2,725 ft agl, and groundspeed of 108 knots (kts). See figure 1. Figure 1. View of ADS-B data plot over Google Earth map A witness stated that he saw the airplane performing inverted maneuvers, steep climbing rolls, and barrel rolls. He stated that, before the accident, the airplane entered a “barrel roll climb,” followed by a “stall,” after which it entered an inverted, nose-down “dive.” The airplane then rolled upright but continued the nose-down descent with wings level before descending out of his sight behind trees. Shortly after, the witness heard a loud “thud” and notified emergency services. The airplane impacted a dirt field within a residential property 10 nautical miles north of L35 at an elevation of 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl). The wreckage debris path was about 200 ft long and oriented on a magnetic h
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude during an aerobatic maneuver, which resulted in an impact with terrain.
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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.
