Stevens S-8 N66191

Summary

On 23 January 1995 at about 23:30 local time, a Stevens S-8 registered N66191 was involved in an accident near Tucson, Arizona, 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

23 January 1995 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Tucson, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

32.4498, -111.2906

Aircraft

Stevens S-8

Registration

N66191

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA087

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACQUAINTANCES OF THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD INTENDED TO MAKE A 1.0 TO 1.5 HOUR-LONG LOCAL FLIGHT, DURING WHICH HE PLANNED TO PERFORM TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS AND PRACTICE UNSPECIFIED MANEUVERS IN THE LOCAL AREA. THE PILOT PURCHASED 10 GALS OF FUEL, PUT ON A PARACHUTE, AND TOOK OFF IN THE HOMEBUILT WHICH HE HAD PURCHASED A FEW WEEKS EARLIER. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND ABOUT 6 MI FROM THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT, PARTIALLY CONSUMED BY A POSTIMPACT FIRE. AN ON-SCENE EXAMINATION REVEALED THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE ROUGH DESERT TERRAIN WHILE IN A STEEP NOSE-DOWN PITCH ATTITUDE. TERRAIN AND VEGETATION SURROUNDING THE IMPACT SITE WAS NOT SCARRED, AND THE ENGINE WAS FOUND IN AN ESTIMATED 70-DEG NOSE-DOWN PITCH ATTITUDE. THE PROPELLER WAS FOUND ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE, AND WAS ABOUT 18 INCHES BELOW GROUND LEVEL. ALL OF THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES WERE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE VICINITY OF THE MAIN IMPACT CRATER, AND NONE EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.