- Date
- January 25, 1991, 12:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Cayucos, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2027CWalter Chandler Phoenix
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910125001009A
- Case key
- 27113
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 selection of unsuitable terrain and his misjudgment of the proper touch down point following the pilot's decision to make a precautionary landing. Contributing to the accident was an in-flight separation of the trim tab rod from the trim tab, producing an unusual vibration.
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 cruise flight in an experimental home built airplane, the private pilot felt a vibration in the control stick. The pilot elected to make a precautionary landing in a area of unsuitable terrain, misjudged the landing approach to a field and collided with a hill. Examination of the airplane disclosed that the trim tab adjusting rod had separated from the trim tab, allowing the tab to vibrate in the slipstream.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2027C
- Reported as
- Walter Chandler Phoenix
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 31200H
- Engine
- Honda 1324 C.C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gregory C. O'Kelly
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- SBP · San Luis Obispo, CA
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 232 total · 26 in this make and model · 164 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.