- Date
- October 15, 1988, 10:29 local (18:29 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8123Lewis Moni
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 24, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881015048359A
- Case key
- 26143
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Analysis
During a local flight, shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported engine trouble. The pilot was cleared to land at his discretion. The glider was observed to make a steep left descending turn subsequently colliding with the terrain. This was an experimental motorized glider. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and the pilot died 21 days after the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8123
- Reported as
- Lewis Moni
- Category
- Glider, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 00175
- Engine
- KFM 107E, 22 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lewis, James R.
- Registered owner
- Lewis, James R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- WJF · Lancaster, CA
- Airport
- WJF · General Wm. J. Fox, runway 6, 5,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 308 total · 40 in this make and model · 308 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.