# Accident 19980926039169A: Amtr RV3, Arbuckle, CA, September 26, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 26, 1998, 08:10 local time
- Place: Arbuckle, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.0207° N, 122.0408° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0207&lon=-122.0408&mi=10
- Aircraft: N244WW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N244WW-2000-04-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: O'Neill Eugene S RV-3 (registry code 05608J3, https://openairdocs.org/model/o-neill-eugene-s-rv-3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR RV3
- Reported engine: LYC O290
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 2,100 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98FA305](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA305) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980926039169A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23)ON SEPTEMBER 26,1998, ABOUT 08:10 PDT, AN EXPERIMENTAL REYNOLDS RV-3, N244WW, EN ROUTE TO ATWATER, CA EXPERIENCED AND IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OVER ARBUCKLE, CA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.  THE WEATHER AS OBSERVED DURING THE ON-SITE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.                                                       (.4)A WITNESS HEARD AN AIRCRAFT FLY OVERHEAD BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE IT DUE TO LOW CLOUDS AND MISTING PRECIPITATION.  ANOTHER WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE BREAK OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE OVERCAST, ACCOMPANIED BY INCREASED ENGINE SOUNDS AND FALLING PARTS, WHICH HAD SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  HE ESTIMATED THE CEILING TO BE ABOUT 400 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR IFR FLIGHT AND THE PILOT DID NOT POSSESS AN INSTRUMENT RATING.  THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE.  THE EMPENNAGE SECTION ALSO SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE, AND, THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL STABILIZERS HAD SEPARATED FROM THE EMPENNAGE.  EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED THAT THE FRACTUR E SURFACES EXHIBITED OVERLOAD CHARACTERISTICS, AND NO IMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FALIURES WERE FOUND WITH THE CONTROL SYSTEM. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOICAL RESULTS WERE POSITIVE FOR QUINIE.  THE SIDE EFFECTS OF QUININE CAN INCLUDE DISTRURBANCES OF VISION, HEARING, AND BALANCE.  DISTURBANCES OF BALANCE HAVE BEEN NOTED EVEN AT LOW DODSES, AND THE OF QUININE BY PILOTS IS USUALLY CONTRAINDICATED, AS IT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO SPATAIL DISORIENTATION UNDER SOME CONDITIONS.

## 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 LAX98FA305](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA305), Sep 26, 1998: O'Neil VAN'S RV-3 (N244WW), Arbuckle, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's attempt to continue VFR flight in instrument conditions, which led to his spatial disorientation and in-flight loss of aircraft control, and, resulted in a pilot-induced overload failure…

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.