# Accident 19980904022639A: Amtr LANCAIR235, Llano, CA, September 4, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 4, 1998, 07:58 local time - Place: Llano, CA - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.4901° N, 117.7699° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4901&lon=-117.7699&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1142W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1142W-1999-02-01) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Simons Frank A LANCAIR 235 (registry code 05603SU, https://openairdocs.org/model/simons-frank-a-lancair-235) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR LANCAIR235 - Reported engine: LYC O235L2C - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 234 total, 57 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98FA282](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA282) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980904022639A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT CRASHED IN THE OPEN DESERT UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. (.19)ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1998, AT 0800 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A SIMON LANCAIR 235, N1142W, COLLIDED WITH DESERT TERRAIN UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES IN LLANO, CALIFORNIA. THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT, WHO IS ALSO THE OWNER AND BUILDER OF THE AIRCRAFT, WAS FATALLY INJURED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED THE CHINO, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT AT 0710 WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION TO REDMOND, OREGON. THE AVIATION SURFACE WEATHER REPORT FROM NEARBY PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA, AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS VISIBILITY 1 1/4 MIL WITH RAIN SHOWERS; THE LOWEST CLOUD CONDITION WAS REPORTED AS FEW AS 700 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL); AND THE LOWEST CEILING WAS REPORTED AS 2,600 FEET MSL. (.4)THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR HIS ORIGINAL ROUTE OF FLIGHT THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT AND WAS ADVISED THAT IFR CONDITIONS EXISTED ALONG THAT ROUTE BUT THAT VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED THROUGH THE DESERT AREAS. THE BRIEFER TOLD THE PILOT THAT MID LEVEL BROKEN TO SCATT ERED CLOUD LAYERS WERE FORECASTED AND THAT NO THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS EXPECTED UNTIL AFTER 1100. ABOUT 40 MINUTES INTO HIS FLIGHT,A PILOT FRIEND IN A SECOND AIRPLANE THAT WAS TRAVELING TO THE SAME DESTINATION CAUGHT UP WITH THE PILOT AND THEY CONVERSED VIA RADIO. THE SECOND PILOT INDICATED THAT HE FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN DUE TO THE UNCERTAIN NATURE OF THE WEATHER FORECASTS. THE SECOND PILOT STATED THAT THE WEATHER STARTED TO TURN BAD, AND THE ACCIDENT PILOT TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS GOING TO TURN BACK. THE SECOND PILOT SAW HIM MAKE A 180-DEGREE TURN AND DESCEND INTO CLOUDS; HE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FURTHER COMMUNICATION FROM THE ACCIDENT PILOT. WITNESSES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE STATED THAT IT HAD BEEN RAINING AND THE CLOUDS WERE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE GROUND, WITH ONE WITNESS SAYING SHE COULD NOT SEE THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE 1/4 MILE AWAY. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE FLEW DIRECTLY OVER HER HOUSE NO HIGHER THAN 75 FEET, MADE A TIGHT RIGHT TURN, AND THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND WITH A LOUD BANG. THE EXTENSIVELY FRAGMENTED WRECKAGE WAS DISTRIBUTED OVER A DISTANCE OF 718 FEET. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, ENGINE, PROPELLER, AND AVIONICS REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES. REVEIW OF THE PILOT 'S LOGBOOK REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE SINCE 1958. ## 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 LAX98FA282](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA282), Sep 4, 1998: Simons Lancair 235 (N1142W), Llano, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Pilot's inadvertent VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions , which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of aircraft control. ## Other reports on N1142W (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19971115038199I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971115038199I), Nov 15, 1997: Amtr LANCAIR (N1142W), Chino, CA, Minor damage. Narrative: on November 15, 1997, an experimental Lancair 235, N1142W, piloted by Mr. Frank a. simons had taxied out to runway 26 right at Chino Airport with… 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.