20030530010449A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Aerovd L-39 · New Jerusalem, CA · May 30, 2003

Date: May 30, 2003 · 17:00 local
Place: New Jerusalem, CA
Phase of flight: Practice Training Manuevers
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N139RH
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03LA173
Reported as: Aerovd L39
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 14,000 total16 in this make and model16 in the last 90 days

N139RHRegistration cancelled Jan 21, 2004 · Aero Vodochody L-39S/N 332627 · Built 1983 Airframe modelAero Vodochody L-39 Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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) PIC departed byron airport, California at approximately 1845 local on may 30, 2003. Purpose of flight was to practice flight maneuvers at the aerobatic box located at New Jerusalem airport. While conducting alerion roll maneuvers over the airfield the aircraft departed planned flight maneuver and headed in a north west direction. The aircraft leveled off in flight for approximately 3 seconds and then began a left wing down descending flight until impact with the ground. Aircraft was destroyed by impact and subsequent fire. PIC received fatal injuries upon impact.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PIC DEPARTED BYRON AIRPORT, CALIFORNIA AT APPROXIMATELY 1845 LOCAL ON MAY 30, 2003. PURPOSE OF FLIGHT WAS TO PRACTICE FLIGHT MANEUVERS AT THE AEROBATIC BOX LOCATED AT NEW JERUSALEM AIRPORT. WHILE CONDUCTING ALERION ROLL MANEUVERS OVER THE AIRFIELD THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PLANNED FLIGHT MANEUVER AND HEADED IN A NORTH WEST DIRECTION. THE AIRCRAFT LEVELED OFF IN FLIGHT FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS AND THEN BEGAN A LEFT WING DOWN DESCENDING FLIGHT UNTIL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE. PIC RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES UPON IMPACT.

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 LAX03LA173Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportTracy, CAthe pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance while performing low level aerobatics.May 31, 2003 · Destroyed