Moore SONERAI 1 N27127

Summary

On 11 April 1992 at about 00:30 local time, a Moore SONERAI 1 registered N27127, operated by Moore, Craig D., was involved in an accident near Harrisburg, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 April 1992 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Harrisburg, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

44.2690, -123.0502

Aircraft

Moore SONERAI 1

Registration

N27127

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Moore, Craig D.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA92LA074

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ALTITUDE SUFFICIENT TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH TERRAIN WHILE PERFORMING ACROBATIC MANEUVERS AS A RESULT OF HIS ALCOHOLIC IMPAIRMENT OF EFFICIENCY AND JUDGEMENT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOTS DISREGARD OF THE AIRPLANE'S OPERATING LIMITATIONS WHICH PROHIBITED ACROBATIC FLIGHT, AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING FOR THE TYPE OF OPERATION BEING CONDUCTED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT/OWNER HAD PERFORMED ACROBATIC MANEUVERS IN HIS HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, INCLUDING ROLLS, AND HAD RECENTLY STARTED PERFORMING LOOPS. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT, BUT ON-SCENE EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. THE VOLKSWAGEN ENGINE EQUIPPED AIRPLANE HAD A GRAVITY FED FUEL SYSTEM WHICH WOULD NOT PROVIDE A CONSTANT SUPPLY OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS INVERTED DURING ACROBATIC MANEUVERS. EVIDENCE INDICATES THE PROPELLER WAS NOT TURNING AT IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE, AS CERTIFICATED, WAS PROHIBITED FROM ACROBATIC FLIGHT. THE PILOT WAS ISSUED A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE IN 1983. A PERSON WHO LIVED WITH THE PILOT FOR 3 YRS HAD RECENTLY MOVED FROM HIS HOUSE DUE TO WHAT WAS DESCRIBED AS THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL AND USE OF MARIJUANA. THE TOXICOLOGICAL REPORT ON THE PILOT SHOWED A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.105%, AND A 0.002 UG/ML LEVEL OF CARBOXYLIC ACID (MARIJUANA) WAS ALSO DETECTED IN HIS BLOOD.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.