20000704006629A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Thorp T-211 · Grass Valley, CA · July 4, 2000

Date: July 4, 2000 · 11:45 local
Place: Grass Valley, CA
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N91313
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX00LA250
Fatal injuries: 0

N91313Registration cancelled Nov 24, 2014 · Thorp T-211S/N 4 · Built 1947 Airframe modelThorp T-211 Engine modelLycoming 0-145B seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) The pilot was conducting scenic flying with his son approx. 1000 AGL over in the area of alto sierra, CA. He noticed that the airplane was developing a sink rate so he applied full power, and initiated a 180 degrees turn, but the airplane continued sinking. The pilot then stopped turning at about 90 degrees and impacted the trees which destroyed the airplane and caused serious injuries to both airplane occupants.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING SCENIC FLYING WITH HIS SON APPROX. 1000 AGL OVER IN THE AREA OF ALTO SIERRA, CA. HE NOTICED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS DEVELOPING A SINK RATE SO HE APPLIED FULL POWER, AND INITIATED A 180 DEGREES TURN, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED SINKING. THE PILOT THEN STOPPED TURNING AT ABOUT 90 DEGREES AND IMPACTED THE TREES WHICH DESTROYED THE AIRPLANE AND CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES TO BOTH AIRPLANE OCCUPANTS.

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 LAX00LA250Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGrass Valley, CAthe pilot encountered a mountain wave at an altitude too low to maintain clearance from trees.Jul 4, 2000 · Substantial damage