- Date
- June 4, 1991, 13:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Cottonwood, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6019JCessna C-A150L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910604019559A
- Case key
- 27004
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 intentional low pass during which he performed an aerobatic maneuver with inadequate airspeed. Contributing factors were the pilot's low altitude and the tailwind condition which created the visual perception to the pilot of having an airspeed higher than that which he actually had. Also, the pilot used exceedingly poor judgment by his performance of the aerobatic maneuver near homes.
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
A witness observed the airplane make a low pass over his privately owned airstrip between 50 and 100 feet above ground level (AGL). Thereafter, the airplane pulled up, climbed to a maximum altitude of 200 feet AGL, & made a complete aileron roll. The witness further reported that at the completion of the roll the airplane was flying slowly. Suddenly, the airplane entered a right 60 to 90 degree bank, and the airplane's nose dropped. The airplane rapidly descended, & while in a right wing low and nose low attitude it collided into the backyard of a residence. The pilot had a history of flying low over the airstrip to say hello to the residents. On previous occasions the professional 21,300-hour pilot, flight instructor, and air taxi operator, had performed low level aerobatic maneuvers during air shows.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6019J
- Reported as
- Cessna C-A150L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- A1500319
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Michael J. Rust, doing business as The Hangar
- Registered owner
- Michael J. Rust
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- RDD · Redding, CA
- Destination
- RBL · Red Bluff, CA
- Airport
- runway 16
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
- 55
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 21,300 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 15 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.