- Date
- May 7, 1991, 17:00 local (May 8, 1991, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Redding, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N140EDCessna 140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910507014359A
- Case key
- 27202
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
That the pilot failed to brief the passenger and the passengers intentional control interference.
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 flight departed the short grass field. Initially the climb rate was satisfactory and the obstacles had been cleared. The pilot was lowering the nose to increase airspeed when the 13 year old passenger thought the pilot needed help and grabbed the control wheel and pulled it all the way back. The airplane stalled and crashed into the trees. The pilot reported that he failed to brief the passenger not to touch the flight controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N140ED
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11148
- Engine
- Continental C-90, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Randy L. Thompson
- Registered owner
- Randy L. Thompson
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
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
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 840 total · 475 in this make and model · 780 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 5 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.