# NTSB LAX95LA176: Knapp Packard Special, N55851, Wheaton Springs, CA, April 30, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 30, 1995, 10:25 local (17:25 UTC) - Place: Wheaton Springs, CA - Coordinates: 35.34056, -115.430282 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3406&lon=-115.4303&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report November 6, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29084 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA176 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29084/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA176 ## Probable cause the pilot's misjudged altitude and landing flare timing which resulted in a hard landing and nose over. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - flare - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - lack of recent experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear,main gear - overload - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT OVER A DRY LAKE BED AT 20 FEET AGL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DESCENDED ABRUPTLY AND IMPACTED IN NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE. AFTER IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND SKIDDED ABOUT 150 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION. A POSTCRASH INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR HAD BEEN SPREAD TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. THE PILOT TOLD ASSOCIATES THAT HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY IN JUDGING HIS HEIGHT ABOVE TOUCHDOWN. THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT SITE IS FLAT WITHOUT TREES, FOLIAGE, OR GROUND OBJECTS. THE PILOT HAD ONLY RECENTLY RESUMED FLYING AFTER 17 YEARS OF INACTIVITY. FAA INSPECTORS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT'S FIRST FLIGHT SINCE 1978 WAS ON APRIL 3, 1995. BETWEEN APRIL 3 AND 7, HE RECEIVED INSTRUCTION AND A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW IN A CESSNA 205 EQUIPPED WITH TRICYCLE LANDING GEAR. DURING THAT PERIOD HE LOGGED A TOTAL OF 8.9 HOURS. HIS ESTIMATED TOTAL TIME IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WAS 10 HOURS. ## Factual narrative On April 30, 1995, at 1025 Pacific daylight time, a home-built experimental Knapp Packard Special aircraft, N55851, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Wheaton Springs, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was on a local solo flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The certificated commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from the Jean airport, Jean, Nevada, at 1000 on the day of the accident. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft on a 180-degree heading over the Ivanpah Dry Lake Bed at approximately 20 feet agl. The aircraft was next observed descending abruptly and impacting the lake bed in a nose-low attitude. After impact, the aircraft nosed over and skidded approximately 150 feet before coming to rest in an inverted position. A postcrash inspection of the aircraft by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspectors revealed both main landing gear had been spread to the point of failure. A witness stated that the pilot had previously reported having difficulty in judging his height above touchdown. The area of the accident site is flat without trees, foliage, or ground objects. The pilot's medical certificate required that he wear glasses; the coroner's investigator reported the pilot was found wearing prescription eyeglasses and a cloth-type helmet with goggles. The pilot had recently begun actively flying again after approximately 17 years of inactivity. FAA inspectors reported that the pilot had a total of 596 flight hours prior to April 3, 1995. His last flight prior to that date was on March 26, 1978, when he flew 3 hours in an Aircoupe. Between April 3 and 7, 1995, he received instruction and a biennial flight review in a Cessna 205 equipped with tricycle landing gear. During that period he logged a total of 8.9 hours. Based on information provided by insurance investigators, it was estimated that the pilot had flown the accident airplane a total of 10 hours prior to the accident. The San Bernardino County Coroner reported the results of a toxicological examination were negative. The coroner's investigator also reported the pilot's seat and shoulder harness were found buckled. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N55851](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55851-2001-03-27), registration cancelled 2001-03-27, S/N 7017B-431 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: KNAPP PACKARD SPECIAL (PACKARD SP) - Registry model: [Knapp Herschel J PACKARD SPECIAL](https://openairdocs.org/model/knapp-herschel-j-packard-special) (registry code 0564496) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 7017B-431 - Airframe hours: 10 - Engines: FAIRCHILD RANGER 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Herschel John Knapp - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, January 17, 1995, 10 hours before - Departed: 0L7, JEAN, NV ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; toxicology performed; flight hours: 605 total, 10 in this make and model, 18 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 18 knots, gusting 25 - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: DAG, 104 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950430009879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950430009879A), Apr 30, 1995: Wheaton Springs, CA, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. Failed to flare for landing on dry lake. Impact failed gear. Flipped over. Had not flown actively since 1978. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.