# NTSB LAX68F0412: Couger II, N8496H, Spring Valley, CA, May 12, 1968

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: May 12, 1968
- Place: Spring Valley, CA · SPRING VALLEY, CA
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report June 28, 1968
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 110874
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX68F0412
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX68F0412

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1231  68/5/12    SPRING VALLEY,CAL   COUGER II           CR-  1  0  0  MISCELLANEOUS             CERTIFICATE UNKNOWN, AGE
        TIME - 1215                    N8496H              PX-  0  0  0  TEST                      50, UNK/NR TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            UNK/NR IN TYPE, UNK/NR
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - LAMP
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: DESCENDING
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           AIRFRAME - FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES: HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, ATTACHMENTS
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - POOR WELD
           PERSONNEL - PRODUCTION-DESIGN-PERSONNEL: SUBSTANDARD QUALITY CONTROL
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- WELD ATTACHING HORIZ STABILIZER TO STABILIZER CONNECTOR FAILED ON BOTH SIDES.AMATEUR BUILT ACFT.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N8496H (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: COUGER II
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Lamp

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.

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