What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Experimental amateur built Kitfox - N99FL - s/n: 1570 struck power lines and crashed into an open grass strip between 2 vineyards in the privacy data omitted. Sonoma county, CA.
Flight day began in hayward (hwd) where theprivacy data omittedpilot self fueled the aircraft with 15-16 gallons of automobile gas then departed to Sonoma skypark (0Q9) for personal business, landing without incident.
Weather report for kapc at 1400LCL, auto rpt: wind 200 @15KTS visibility 10SM clr, temp 26C, altimeter 29.90.
At 1430LCL the pilot and one passenger departed 0Q9 and climbed to 2,000 feet at which point the engine quit running. Recognizing the emergency situation, the PIC attempted to land the aircraft on ramal rd but as he lost altitude that option faded because of the trees and power lines. Faced with a decision, he realigned on an open area between two vineyards north of ramal road.
Crossing the power lines the main gear caught the wires and the aircraft rapidly descended to the ground coming to rest vertically at the edge of an open area between the vineyards.
The 80 year old pilot was airlifted to Sonoma hospital. The airman was interviewed by phone the following Monday. The passenger was transported to queen of the valley hospital in napa by ambulance. We were unable to contact her for a statement.
As the FAA filed it
EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT KITFOX - N99FL - S/N: 1570 STRUCK POWER LINES AND CRASHED INTO AN OPEN GRASS STRIP BETWEEN 2 VINEYARDS IN THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. SONOMA COUNTY, CA.
FLIGHT DAY BEGAN IN HAYWARD (HWD) WHERE THE^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT SELF FUELED THE AIRCRAFT WITH 15-16 GALLONS OF AUTOMOBILE GAS THEN DEPARTED TO SONOMA SKYPARK (0Q9) FOR PERSONAL BUSINESS, LANDING WITHOUT INCIDENT.
WEATHER REPORT FOR KAPC AT 1400LCL, AUTO RPT: WIND 200 @15KTS VISIBILITY 10SM CLR, TEMP 26C, ALTIMETER 29.90.
AT 1430LCL THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER DEPARTED 0Q9 AND CLIMBED TO 2,000 FEET AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. RECOGNIZING THE EMERGENCY SITUATION, THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON RAMAL RD BUT AS HE LOST ALTITUDE THAT OPTION FADED BECAUSE OF THE TREES AND POWER LINES. FACED WITH A DECISION, HE REALIGNED ON AN OPEN AREA BETWEEN TWO VINEYARDS NORTH OF RAMAL ROAD.
CROSSING THE POWER LINES THE MAIN GEAR CAUGHT THE WIRES AND THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY DESCENDED TO THE GROUND COMING TO REST VERTICALLY AT THE EDGE OF AN OPEN AREA BETWEEN THE VINEYARDS.
THE 80 YEAR OLD PILOT WAS AIRLIFTED TO SONOMA HOSPITAL. THE AIRMAN WAS INTERVIEWED BY PHONE THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. THE PASSENGER WAS TRANSPORTED TO QUEEN OF THE VALLEY HOSPITAL IN NAPA BY AMBULANCE. WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT HER FOR A STATEMENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.