# Accident 19990821024659A: Piper PA18, Eagleville, CA, August 21, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 21, 1999, 18:30 local time - Place: Eagleville, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Low Level Operations - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.3002° N, 120.1003° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3002&lon=-120.1003&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3356B (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA18 - Reported engine: LYC O290D2 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 900 total, 40 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA280) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990821024659A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON AUGUST 21, 1999, AT 1900 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-18-18, N3356B, COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AFTER ENCOUNTERING WHAT THE PILOT DESCRIBED AS A DOWNDRAFT NEAR EAGLEVILLE, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY JIM & I AVIATORS OF REDDING, CALIFORNIA, AND RENTED BY THE PILOT FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NEITHER THE PRIVATE PILOT NOR HIS PASSENGER WAS INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT REDDING ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT AND MADE STOPS AT LAKEVIEW, OREGON, AND CEDARVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO EAGLEVILLE WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID HE DEPARTED REDDING EARLY IN THE MORNING AND STOPPED IN LAKEVIEW TO TAKE CARE OF SOME FAMILY BUSINESS. THEN HE FLEW TO CEDARVILLE, ARRIVING ABOUT NOON, AND SPENT SEVERAL HOURS ON THE GROUND. ABOUT 1800, HE LEFT CEDARVILLE FOR EAGLEVILLE AND ARRIVED IN THE TOWN'S VALLEY JUST BEFORE 1900. AFTER COMPLETING SOME SIGHTSEEING ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF MOUNTAIN VALLEY, HE HEADED NORTH TOWARD TH E TOWN, WHERE HE INTENDED TO LAND AND SPEND THE NIGHT. ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE TOWN, THE AIRCRAFT FLEW OVER A SMALL RIDGE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING ABOUT 500 FEET AGL. HIS PASSENGER REMARKED ON SOME CORALS ON THE GROUND AND THE PILOT PERFORMED A 360-DEGREE TURN TO VIEW THE AREA. DURING THE TURN, THE PILOT NOTED THE AIRSPEED HAD INCREASED SLIGHTLY, AND, AS THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OUT ON A NORTHERLY HEADING THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY FELT LIKE IT STALLED AND ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT TOWARD THE GROUND. THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE AND FLARED AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED FLAT, BREAKING OFF THE LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT SAID HE TURNED OFF THE FUEL AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. SUDDENLY, AS A LARGE CLOUD MOVED OVERHEAD IT BEGAN TO LIGHTENING AND RAIN HEAVILY, WITH VERY GUSTY SURFACE WINDS. (.4) THE FLIGHT'S DESTINATION IS LOCATED IN A MOUNTAIN VALLEY. AFTER SIGHTSEEING ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY, THE PILOT HEADED NORTH TOWARD THE TOWN, WHERE HE INTENDED TO LAND AND SPEND THE NIGHT. ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE TOWN, THE AIRCRAFT FLEW OVER A SMALL RIDGE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING ABOUT 500 FEET AGL. THE PASSENGER REMARKED ON SOME CORRA LS ON THE GROUND AND THE PILOT PERFORMED A 360-DEGREE TURN TO VIEW THE AREA. DURING THE TURN, THE PILOT NOTED THE AIRSPEED HAD INCREASED SLIGHTLY, AND, AS THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OUT ON A NORTHERLY HEADING, THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY FELT LIKE IT STALLED AND ENTERED A RAPID DESCENT. THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE AND FLARED AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED FLAT, BREAKING OFF THE LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER GROUND IMPACT, A LARGE CLOUD MOVED OVERHEAD AND IT BEGAN TO LIGHTENING AND RAIN HEAVILY, WITH VERY GUSTY SURFACE WINDS. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES PRIOR TO GROUND CONTACT. BASED ON THE PRESSURE ALTITUDE AND THE TEMPERATURE AT A WEATHER REPORTING STATION 15 MILES EAST OF THE SITE, THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE ABOUT 7,500 FEET. ## 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 LAX99LA280](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA280), Aug 22, 1999: Piper PA-18-18 (N3356B), Eagleville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's encounter with a thunderstorm induced downdraft, which resulted in a high rate of sink, at an altitude insufficient to provide for recovery prior to ground impact. The high density… 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.