- Date
- December 15, 1989, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Chilcoot, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8841Bennet Spezio Tuholer
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891215051489A
- Case key
- 26588
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper inflight decision by failing to maintain proper terrain clearance while maneuvering near the ground to observe some deer.
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
The pilot of a homebuilt aircraft collided with a ridge while observing some deer during a pleasure flight. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8841
- Reported as
- Bennet Spezio Tuholer (SPEZIO TUH)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 208
- Airframe hours
- 1,171
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Timothy C. King
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 5, 1988 · 92 hours before
- Departed
- 4SD · Stead, NV
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 987 total · 897 in this make and model · 940 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 18 °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.