- Date
- November 24, 2021, 23:33 UTC
- Place
- Frazier Park, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N989TAlon A2
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern base: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20211124021979A
- Case key
- 104330
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 adequate airspeed while on approach for landing which, resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with 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, during a cross-country flight, he was concerned with the low fuel status and determined he would not have enough fuel to continue to the intended destination. He looked for a place to land and while approaching a small valley, he noticed a private, 25-foot-wide airstrip and opted to perform a precautionary landing. He circled the airstrip and while on the approach and trying to keep the airspeed as slow as possible the airplane stalled. The left wing collided with the ground and was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N989T
- Reported as
- Alon A2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- A-87
- Built
- 1966
- Engine
- Continental Motors C90, 95 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PRB · Paso Robles, CA
- Destination
- SZP · Santa Paula, CA
- Equipment
- None
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
- 85
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,500 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KBFL, 37 nm away
- METAR
- KBFL 242354Z 30006KT 7SM CLR 16/00 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP223 T01610000 10167 20133 53007
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 19, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 933 KB 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.