# Accident 20030228003089A: Amtr CH801, Dingville, CA, February 28, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 28, 2003, 11:30 local time
- Place: Dingville, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9333° N, 121.6333° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9333&lon=-121.6333&mi=10
- Aircraft: N235RJ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N235RJ-2004-06-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mitchell A CH-801 (registry code 05614TR, https://openairdocs.org/model/mitchell-a-ch-801) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR CH801
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 250 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX03FA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA102) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030228003089A

## Narrative

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

(-23) IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OVER RICE FIELD IN SUTTER COUNTRY. AIRCRAFT DEBRIS WAS SCATTERED APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE. LARGE SECTION OF RIGHT WING WAS FOUND AT BEGINNING OF DEBRIS FIELD. NUMEROUS PIECES FOLLOWED WITH MAIN FUSELAGE AND ENGINE HITTING GROUND 1 MILE AWAY. NO POST FIRE, FUEL TANKS SEPARATED PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH ADEQUATE FUEL REMAINING. THE ENGINE DID NOT HAVE POWER ON IMPACT.

## 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 LAX03FA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA102), Feb 28, 2003: Mitchell CH-801 (N235RJ), Nicholas, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: an in-flight structural failure due to the pilot exceeding the design limitations of the airplane. Drug impairment was a factor.

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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