- Date
- February 15, 1984, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Edwards Afb, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5603MTaylorcraft BC12D-85
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 23944
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
The acft collided with the ground and rolled inverted in the desert near Edwards Afb. Examination of the wreckage gave no evidence of a failure or malfunction of equipment. The coroner reported that the plt died of a gunshot wound to the head before the acft crashed.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Miscellaneous/other
Suicide - performedCause
Interpersonal relationsCause
Emotional reactionCause
Incapacitation(other organic problem)Cause
Incapacitation(loss of consciousness)Cause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5603M
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC12D-85
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12002
- Airframe hours
- 697
- Engine
- Continental C85 SERIES, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- J.H. Chrisney
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 2, 1984 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- WHP · Pacoima, CA
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 678 total · 14 in this make and model · 500 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 35 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EDW, 10 nm away