# Accident 20011209036469A: Rominger David E ZIC ZAC BIRD, Marina, CA, December 9, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 9, 2001, 14:52 local time
- Place: Marina, CA
- Airport: Marina Municipal Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.6714° N, 121.7469° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6714&lon=-121.7469&mi=10
- Aircraft: N204ED, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N204ED-2002-04-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Rominger David E ZIC ZAC BIRD (registry code 05611R5, https://openairdocs.org/model/rominger-david-e-zic-zac-bird) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA043) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011209036469A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON DECEMBER 9, 2001, ABOUT 1452 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN AMATEUR BUILT ROMINGER, ZIC ZAC BIRD, N204ED, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT-BUILDER, EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP APPROACHING RUNWAY 29 AT THE MARINA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, MARINA, CALIFORNIA. A WITNESS REPORTED OBSERVING THE LEFT WING SEPARATE FROM THE AIRPLANE DURING THE AIRPLANE'S ROLLOUT TURN ONTO THE FINAL APPROACH LEG. THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 1 MILE EAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND ORIGINATED FROM MARINA ABOUT 1445. THE WITNESS WORKED AS A CORPORATE PILOT AND WAS AN ACQUAINTANCE OF THE ACCIDENT PILOT. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE WING SEPARATION OCCURRED DURING A NORMAL APPEARING TURN ABOUT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A VERTICAL DIVE AND ROLL. HE STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT'S EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE HAD A TOTAL TIME BETWEEN 5 AND 15 HOURS ON ITS AIRFRAME, WHICH WAS COMPOSED OF WOOD AND FABRIC. THE PILOT'S SON REPORTED THAT HIS FATHER DESIGNED THE AIRPLANE AND IT WAS A "ONE OF A KIND" AIRFRAME. THE SINGLE SEAT, CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRPLANE WAS CONSTRUCTED FOR PERSONAL REASONS, AND THE PILOT PLANNED TO COMPETE FOR VARIOUS SPEED AND CLIMB PERFORMANCE RECORDS FOR AIRPLANES HAVING GROSS WEIGHTS LESS THAN 660 POUNDS. (-23) ON APPROACH TO OAR AIRPORT, A WITNESS REPORTED OBSERVING ONE OF THE WINGS SEPARATING FROM THIS AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

## 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 LAX02LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA043), Dec 9, 2001: Rominger Zic Zac Bird (N204ED), Marina, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the failure the right wing spar and the subsequent separation of the right wing. Contributing factors were the pilot's inadequate maintenance, and the weakened wing structure due to a preexisting…

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.

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