20070518009909A

(-23) LAS FSDO INSPECTORS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ARRIVED ON-SCENE ON THE MORNING OF MAY 18, 2007 TO INVESTIGATE AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING A CESSNA CE-150-G, N3121J. EARLIER THAT MORNING, AT APPROXIMATELY 8:15 AM PST, THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM THE VALLEY VIEW PRIVATE AIRSTRIP (NV00) IN PAHRUMP, NV. WITNESSES STATED THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF AND AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 50 FEET, THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED ENGINE PROBLEMS. WITNESSES ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO TURN, LOST ALTITUDE, IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE INSPECTORS FROM THE LAS FSDO NOTED THAT AIRCRAFT IMPACTED FLAT HARD-PACKED TERRAIN JUST TO THE SOUTH EAST SIDE OF THE INTERSECTION OF TWO DIRT ROADS, HOFFMAN PLACE AND BLOSSOR RANCH ROAD. GROUNDS SCARRING AT THE INITIAL POINT OF CONTACT AND AIRCRAFT DAMAGE INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN PASSED BETWEEN AND STRUCK TWO PILES OF HARD-PACKED DIRT SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED WITH A HEADING OF 175 DEGREES. THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE FROM THE LANDING LIGHT OUTBOARD. THE NOSE SECTION INCLUDING THE ENGINE WAS PARTIALLY BROKEN AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE BUT REMAINED WITH THE FUSELAGE. THE NOSE GEAR WAS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE AND FOUND FORWARD OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET. THE NOSE WHEEL WAS NOTED AS SEPARATED FROM THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY AND FOUND FORWARD OF THE WRECKAGE APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT BACKWARDS WITH SCARRING TO THE FORWARD FACES OF THE BLADES. THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS PARTIALLY BROKEN AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE APPROXIMATELY 1 FOOT FORWARD OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER. CONTINUITY OF THE ELEVATOR, RUDDER AND AILERON FLIGHT CONTROLS WAS VERIFIED. AS A RESULT OF THE AIRCRAFT BEING INVERTED THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE WING TANKS COULD NOT BE VERIFIED. THERE WAS A NOTICABLE FUEL ODOR IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE WINGS. ON MAY 24, 2007 LAS FSDO INSPECTORS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WERE PRESENT DURING AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY AIR SAFETY INSPECTORS FROM THE CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY AND TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL MOTORS, INC. THE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT TOOK PLACE AT THE RESIDENCE OF THE OWNER WHO LIVES NEXT TO THE VALLEY VIEW AIRSTRIP. THE AIR SAFETY INSPECTOR FROM TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL MOTORS, INC. DID NOT FIND ANY ABNORMALITIES THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION AND PRODUCTION OF POWER. THE AIR SAFTY INSPECTOR FROM THE CESSNA AIRCRAFT COMPANY DID NOTE THAT THE FIREWALL MOUNTED FUEL STRAINER SCREEN WAS DISCOLORED, AND THE RESERVOIR CONTAINED A BROWNISH-YELLOW FUEL CONTAMINATED WITH DIRT AND WATER. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK CONTAINED A YELLOW COLORED FUEL. A FUEL SAMPLE WAS NOT TAKEN FROM THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WHICH WAS DAMAGED DURING THE CRASH AND FOUND TO BE EMPTY AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. ON 05/30/2007 THE LAS FSDO RECEIVED NOTICE THAT THE PILOT HAD SUCCUMBED TO INJURIES SUFFERED IN THE ACCIDENT ON 05/18/2007.