# Accident 20220506006649A: Aaron Appel VANS RV-10, Sausalito, CA, May 6, 2022 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 6, 2022, 12:10 local time - Place: Sausalito, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Maneuver - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.8343° N, 122.4911° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8343&lon=-122.4911&mi=10 - Aircraft: N54MG, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N54MG) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Aaron Appel VANS RV-10 (registry code 05635LO, https://openairdocs.org/model/aaron-appel-vans-rv-10) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (registry code 41798, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-d4a5) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AARON APPEL VANS RV-10 - Reported engine: LYCOMING YIO-540-D4A5 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student - Pilot flight hours: 321 total, 16 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR22FA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA172) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220506006649A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON 6 MAY 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:10 PM (PDT) AIRCRAFT N54MG, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT VANS RV-10 WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH FATALITIES. THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^THE PILOT WITH A SINGLE PASSENGER IN THE FOUR PLACE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KSAC) AT APPROXIMATELY 11:29 AM (PDT) ON A VFR FLIGHT TO HALF MOON BAY AIRPORT (KHAF) WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) FLIGHT FOLLOWING. AT APPROXIMATELY 11:50 AM (PDT), WHEN THE AIRCRAFT PASSED OVER THE SHORELINE TO THE SAN PABLO BAY, N54MG MADE CONTACT WITH NORCAL DEPARTURE CONTROLLER AND REQUESTED TO DO A BAY TOUR ON THEIR WAY TO KHAF. ATC APPROVED THE REQUEST FOR A BAY TOUR WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO STAY BELOW CLASS B AIRSPACE. N54MG THEN PROCEEDED TO THE EAST SIDE OF ANGLE ISLAND STATE PARK WHILE DESCENDING TO 1600 FEET AND THEN INITIATED A FIGURE EIGHT MANEUVER, TURNING TO THE WEST AND COMPLETING A CLOCKWISE 360 DEGREE TURN AROUND ALCATRAZ ISLAND THEN A COUNTER CLOCKWISE TURN BETWEEN ALCATRAZ ISLAND AND TREASURE ISLAND. ONCE THE MANEUVER WAS COMPLETE AND THE AIRCRAFT POSITIONED SOUTH OF ANGLE ISLAND STATE PARK AND HEADING TOWARD THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, N54MG CONTACTED ATC AND STATED THEY WERE CONTINUING ONTO HAF AND REQUESTED THE ?TRANSITION ROUTE?. A DIFFERENT CONTROLLER REPLIES INSTRUCTING N54MG TO REMAIN OUTSIDE OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. N54MG REPLIES TO THE CONTROLLER QUESTIONING IF THEY CAN GET TO HAF. THE CONTROLLER REPLIES WITH THE TERM ?ROGER? AND REQUEST THEY REMAIN OUTSIDE OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. N54MG REPLIES TO ATC CONFIRMING TO REMAIN OUTSIDE OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. AT THIS TIME N54MG IS 2.5 MILES EAST OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE AND HEADING TOWARD IT, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2100 FEET. WITH N54MG APPROXIMATELY HALF A MILE FROM THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE AND AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1700 FEET IT MOMENTARILY TURNS TO THE SOUTH AND THEN BACK NORTH AS IS CROSSES OVER THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE HEADING TO THE MARIN HEADLANDS. FROM APPROXIMATELY 12:06 PM TO 12:10 PM THE RADAR TRACK SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT STAYING IN THE AREA JUST NORTH OF THE BRIDGE MAKING MULTIPLE TURNS WHILE DESCENDING AND CLIMBING ALL WHILE THE AIRSPEED DRASTICALLY FLUCTUATES. RADAR DATA HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE UNRELIABLE IN THIS AREA, BUT THREE EYE WITNESSES, IN THE AREA OF THE BAY AREA DISCOVERY MUSEUM JUST NORTH EAST OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE, CONFIRM THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN DIVING TOWARD THE GROUND AS IT EMERGED FROM THE FOG AND THEN DRASTICALLY CLIMBING BACK INTO THE FOG MULTIPLE TIMES. THE COAST GUARD RESPONDED TO AN EMERGENCY LOCATOR SIGNAL IN THE AREA AND DIRECTED FIRST RESPONDERS TO N54MG. AT APPROXIMATELY 2:03 PM THE RANGERS FOUND THE AIRCRAFT. VERY DENSE FOG MADE THE AIRCRAFT HARD TO LOCATE IN WHAT IS OTHERWISE AN OPEN FIELD/HILLSIDE WITH LITTLE TO NO TREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISCOVERED ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF THE MARIN HEADLANDS AT AN ELEVATION OF APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET MSL. BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FOUND DECEASED WITH THEIR FOUR POINT HARNESS/SEATBELTS ON. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND N54GM AT A 40 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE FACING A HEADING OF 111 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET FROM THE IMPACT POINT. THE DEBRIS PATH WAS TRACED FROM THE IMPACT POINT TO THE RESTING POINT WITH A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 340 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOSTLY INTACT WITH THE UPPER ENGINE COWING REMOVED, THE RIGHT HAND AILERON REMOVED, THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERED, THE NOSE GEAR REMOVED, THE PROPELLER WITH ONE BENT BLADE, THE ENGINE PUSHED INTO THE AIRCRAFT CABIN/INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE RIGHT WING SHEARED AT THE FORWARD SPAR ATTACH POINT, AND DAMAGE TO BOTH LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS. HYDRAULIC DEFORMATION WAS OBSERVED ON THE LEFT HAND WING LEADING EDGE FUEL TANK. THE AIRCRAFT AVIONICS INCLUDING DATA RECORDERS WERE REMOVED AND SHIPPED TO THE NTSB LABORATORY FOR ANALYSIS. THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND PLACED IN SECURE STORAGE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. IF INFORMATION FROM THESE PLANNED INSPECTIONS PROVIDE NEW DETAILS IT WILL BE ADDED TO THIS REPORT WHEN MADE AVAILABLE. ## 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 WPR22FA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22FA172), May 6, 2022: Vans RV10 (N54MG), Sausalito, CA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper decision to continue a visual flight rules flight into an area of limited visibility conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.