# Accident 19980710016499A: Dhav DH82, Sedona, AZ, July 10, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 10, 1998, 19:10 local time - Place: Sedona, AZ - Airport: Sedona Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Low Level Operations - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.9408° N, 111.9405° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9408&lon=-111.9405&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5050C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5050C) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Dehavilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A (registry code 2801002, https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-tiger-moth-dh-82a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Dehav ENG GIPSY MAJOR (registry code 20004, https://openairdocs.org/engine/dehav-eng-gipsy-major) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DHAV DH82 - Reported engine: DHAVXX GIPSYMAJOR1 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 3,170 total, 20 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA227) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980710016499A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4)ON JULY 10, 1998, AT 1910 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A DEHAVILLAND DH-82A, N5050C, IMPACTED A TREE WHILE MANEUVERING IN RED ROCK CANYON NEAR SEDONA, ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN SEDONA AT 1810. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS FILMING A CAR COMMERCIAL FOR A PRODUCTION COMPANY AND WAS MAKING COORDINATED PASSES WITH A CAR ON THE GROUND AND A HELICOPTER WAS FLYING BEHIND THEM WITH A CAMERA. THEY HAD BEEN FLYING APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR. THE PILOT MADE SEVERAL LOW PASSES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DROP A MAILBAG INTO THE CAR FOR PURPOSES OF THE COMMERCIAL STORY LINE. HE REPORTED THAT ON THE LAST PASS, HE HAD ABOUT 90 FEET TO GO BEFORE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO PULL UP. HE WAS BETWEEN THE HELICOPTER AND THE CAR WHEN HE HIT THE TOP 2 1/2 FEET OF A CEDAR TREE. THE PILOT SAID IT WAS "DEAD CENTER" OFF THE AIRCRAFT NOSE AND STATED THAT HE NEVER SAW IT. HE WAS FLYING ABOUT 50-60 MPH WHEN HE IMPACTED THE TREE. THE FILMING WAS STOPPED ABOUT 6 SECONDS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, NOR WAS THERE ANY VISIBILITY RESTRICTION. (-23) THE PILOT MR. MIKE WRAY STATED THAT WHILE FILMING A COMMERCIAL FLYING A DEHAVILLAND DH-82A, HE WAS MAKING COORDINATED PASSES OVER A CAR ON THE GROUND SIMULATING DROPPING A BAG INTO THE CAR. A HELICOPTER WAS FILMING THESE PASSES FOR THE COMMERCIAL. MR. WRAY REPORTED THAT ON THE LAST FILMING PASS HE HAD APPROXIMATELY 90 FEET TO TRAVEL PRIOR TO PULLING UP WHEN HE HIT THE TOP 2 1/2 FEET OF A CEDAR TREE. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED LODGED IN THE CEDAR TREE AFTER IMPACT. HE STATES HE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 50-60 MILES PER HOUR PRIOR TO IMPACT OF THE TREE, AND THAT HE DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES FROM THE ACCIDENT. MR. WRAY ADDITIONALLY STATES THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX98LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA227), Jul 11, 1998: de Havilland DH-82A (N5050C), Sedona, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain a visual clearance with the trees. ## Other reports on N5050C (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20080101013319I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080101013319I), Jan 1, 2008: Dhav DH82A (N5050C), Beaufort, SC, Minor damage. (-23) After landing and taxi to hangar, a gust of wind picked up the tail of the aircraft and the propeller made a ground strike. The propeller was wood and… - [Incident 19870629055459I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870629055459I), Jun 29, 1987: Dhavxx DH82AROBRTSN (N5050C), Alberton, MT, Minor damage. Engine power loss en route. Landed on highway striking a guard rail. Found scoring on cylinder wall, rings fused. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.