- Date
- November 11, 2013, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- San Ynez, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N88CRMaule MX 7-235
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20131111022789A
- Case key
- 88422
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 failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering at low altitude in hilly terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he departed from a remote private air strip and proceeded along a geological drainage ravine for 3 miles, then turned up a side canyon into rising terrain. As the airplane approached a saddle in the terrain the pilot spotted 2 black bears. The pilot entered a descent and executed a right turn to orbit the bears. After a 360-degree turn he realized that the airplane had descended too low and was approaching rising terrain. The airplane's slow airspeed and angle of bank did not allow for recovery and the airplane subsequently collided with the terrain and nosed over. The wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he departed from a remote private air strip and proceeded along a geological drainage ravine for 3 miles, then turned up a side canyon into rising terrain. As the airplane approached a saddle in the terrain the pilot spotted 2 black bears. The pilot entered a descent and executed a right turn to orbit the bears. After a 360-degree turn he realized that the airplane had descended too low and was approaching rising terrain. The airplane's slow airspeed and angle of bank did not allow for recovery and the airplane subsequently collided with the terrain and nosed over. The wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88CR
- Reported as
- Maule MX 7-235 (235)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4051C
- Built
- 1988
- Airframe hours
- 1,530
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-J1A5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2012
- Departed
- Santa Ynez, CA
- Destination
- KIZA · Santa Ynez, 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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 25, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 327 total · 142 in this make and model · 300 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KIZA, 23 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 18, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.