19980314003339A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr CHRISEAGLE2 · Lake Berryessa, CA · March 14, 1998

Date: March 14, 1998 · 13:43 local
Place: Lake Berryessa, CA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N331GH
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX98FA112
Reported as: Amtr CHRISEAGLE2
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 20,200 total

N331GHRegistration cancelled Sep 28, 1998 · Gough-Herrman CHRISTEN EAGLE-IIS/N GOUGH0001 Airframe modelGough-Herrman CHRISTEN EAGLE-II

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) Witnesses observed the aircraft flying over the lake about 1,000 feet or less. They reported that the aircraft rolled inverted, flew for about 5 or 6 seconds, pitched downward, rotated 90 degrees, and impacted the water in a near vertical attitude. According to the designer/kit manufacturer, and based on the estimated weight and balance information, the aircraft was forward of the aerobatic weight envelope. (-23) aircraft crashed into Lake Berryessa CA.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING OVER THE LAKE ABOUT 1,000 FEET OR LESS. THEY REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED INVERTED, FLEW FOR ABOUT 5 OR 6 SECONDS, PITCHED DOWNWARD, ROTATED 90 DEGREES, AND IMPACTED THE WATER IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. ACCORDING TO THE DESIGNER/KIT MANUFACTURER, AND BASED ON THE ESTIMATED WEIGHT AND BALANCE INFORMATION, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FORWARD OF THE AEROBATIC WEIGHT ENVELOPE. (-23) AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO LAKE BERRYESSA CA.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX98FA112Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportLake Berryessa, CAwas the pilot-in-command's failure to maintain control of the aircraft. Contributing to the accident was the improper altitude.Mar 14, 1998 · Destroyed