ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 38965
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| Date: | 23-MAR-1997 |
| Time: | 08:49 |
| Type: |  Zenair CH 601 Zodiac |
| Owner/operator: | private |
| Registration: | N4073T |
| MSN: | 1414 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Penn Valley, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Grass Valley, CA (O17) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
No witnesses observed the aircraft when it impacted terrain in a pasture. A witness who lives about 1 mile from the accident site reported that the aircraft's engine was cutting out as it flew over his location. Another witness, inside his home near the accident site, did not hear the engine at all; he reported hearing only a whoosh and a thump. The pilot purchased the aircraft 7 months prior and this was his first flight in the aircraft. He had not had any checkout, and according to his logbook, had not piloted an aircraft in the previous 4 months. The last maintenance entry in the aircraft logbook was an annual inspection performed 18 months prior. A toxicology analysis performed by the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute detected impairing amounts of the drug Diphenhydramine in the pilot's blood and urine. CAUSE: Loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors in the accident were the pilot's lack of recent experience, lack of experience in the type aircraft, and physical impairment due to drugs.
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001208X07583
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 15-Apr-2009 10:03 | harro | Updated |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
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