Docket And Docket Items - National Transportation Safety Board: http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
FAA Riverside FSDO-21
http://registry.faa.gov/N9454L
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, June 09, 2014 in El Mirage, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/14/2016
Aircraft: AMERICAN AVIATION AA-1A, registration: N9454L
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot was providing airplane rides to family and friends who had assembled at a dry lakebed. He completed two uneventful flights and then departed for a third flight from the lakebed. According to witnesses, the pilot had planned to perform a low pass over the group, and he did so just after takeoff, passing within about 50 ft directly overhead.
The entire accident sequence was captured on video. The airplane dipped its right wing as it passed over the camera position and, after the pass, continued in a climbing right turn, which progressed rapidly to almost 90 degrees of bank. The excessive bank angle resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an accelerated stall at an altitude too low for recovery. The airplane then entered the initial stages of a spin before striking the ground in an almost vertical attitude.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure. Although the reason for the aggressive turn could not be determined, the pilot's overflight of the group while maneuvering at low altitude is consistent with an intentionally-performed ostentatious display.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's loss of airplane control while intentionally maneuvering close to the ground, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack in a steep bank and entering an accelerated stall.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On June 9, 2014, about 1115 Pacific daylight time, an American Aviation AA-1A, N9454L, collided with the dry lakebed surface of El Mirage Lake, in El Mirage, California. The airplane was co-owned, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot and 9-year-old passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed during the accident sequence. The local personal flight departed from the El Mirage Lakebed, about 1113. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Members of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) had organized an off-duty recreation day at the lakebed. The group was composed of about 12 people, and included family and friends. A combination of activities was planned, including camping, along with flying both the accident airplane and powered paragliders. The accident pilot was a helicopter pilot, assigned to the air operations division of the LAFD.
About 0930, witnesses stated that the pilot departed with one of his daughters in the accident airplane to perform a sightseeing flight in the local area. The flight departed from the lakebed in a southerly direction in light and variable winds, and lasted about 15 minutes. A short time later he flew his second daughter on a similar flight, for a similar amount of time.
For the third, and accident flight, the group requested that the pilot perform a "low pass" over the north shore of the lakebed, where everyone had assembled.
According to witnesses, the flight departed again to the south, but this time the wind had increased such that a left (east) crosswind existed during takeoff. The flight progressed and the airplane approached the group from the northwest, at a low altitude for what was presumed to be the low pass. The airplane flew over the group, and after passing, initiated a climbing right turn to the south. Witnesses reported that the airplane then began a right turn to the west, and during the turn the bank angle became "excessive," with some witnesses assuming the pilot was either positioning the airplane to land, or returning for a second low-pass. The airplane did not roll level after the bank, instead the nose "tucked" down, and the airplane descended into the ground.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
At the time of the accident the pilot was assigned to the Air Operations Section of the LAFD, and held the rank of Fire Helicopter Pilot II. He had been with the division for about 4 years, and over the last 2 years had completed a 200- hour advanced flight training program, and attained his type rating in the Augusta Westland AW-139 helicopter. He flew between 20 and 30 hours per month in the LAFD AW-139 and Bell 206, and was preparing for his final check ride to achieve his AW139 mission commander certification.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land rating issued in March 2002, along with a commercial pilot certificate with a rotorcraft, helicopter rating issued in July of the same year. He received a certified flight instructor certificate with (helicopter) in June 2011, and added his helicopter instrument rating in August 2013.
The pilot's logbook indicated that as of May 2, 2014, he had a total flight time of about 1,890 flight hours, of which 1,400 were in helicopters, with the majority of the remainder in the accident airplane. According to the co-owner, the pilot had performed 3 takeoffs and landings in the airplane the week prior, but otherwise had not flown it for about 1 year, having recently purchased another airplane. His most recent flight review was accomplished on May 9, 2013.
The pilot was issued an FAA second-class medical certificate on December 17, 2013, with the limitation that he must have available lenses for near vision.
AIRPLANE INFORMATION
The airplane was co-owned since 2002 by the pilot and a fellow pilot at the LAFD. The co-owner held an airframe and powerplant certificate with inspection authorization, and had performed the majority of the maintenance, along with all inspections, since 1999.
The low-wing, two-seat airplane, serial number AA1A-0254, was manufactured in 1971. The airplane had originally been fitted with a 110-horsepower Lycoming O-235 engine. In June 2012, an overhauled four-cylinder 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320 engine was installed as part of the Air Mods N.W., supplemental type certificate (STC) SA4387NM.
The co-owner estimated that the accident pilot had a total of about 10 hour's flight experience in the airplane since the upgraded engine had been installed.
The airplane had undergone an annual inspection, which was completed on July 7, 2013. At that time it had accrued a total of 2,202.1 flight hours, with the engine accumulating 24.1 hours since overhaul. The airplane then flew for another 7 hours during the 11-month period leading up to the accident.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The closest aviation weather observation station was located at the Southern California Logistics Airport, Victorville, California, about 13 miles east-southeast, and about the same elevation as the accident site. An aviation routine weather report was recorded at 1115. It reported: wind from 130 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 10 miles; scattered clouds at 9,500 and 11,000 ft; temperature 37 degrees C; dew point -2 degrees C; altimeter 29.88 inches of mercury.
The next weather observation, 20 minutes later, indicated a change in wind direction and velocity to 110 degrees at 8 knots, and at 1235, the wind was reported at 120 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
Local area weather reporting stations reported similar conditions, with a transition to gusting wind in the early afternoon.
AIRPORT INFORMATION
El Mirage Lake is located at the base of the Shadow Mountains, midway between Lancaster and Victorville, and about 1 mile north of El Mirage Field Adelanto Airport. The area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and aviation activities are permitted.
The dry lakebed was about 5 miles long, oriented northwest-southeast, and about 2 miles wide at the accident location. Most of the lakebed was at an elevation of 2,840 ft, and the surface was dry at the time of the accident, and composed of smooth, hard-packed soil.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The accident site was located on the western side of the lakebed, with the first identified point of impact including a series of 2-inch-deep ground disruptions. Ground scars continued 10 feet further, on a bearing of 320 degrees magnetic, and included debris consisting of green wingtip navigation lens fragments and the nose landing gear strut. The engine starter ring and alternator belt were located adjacent to the scars. The propeller, nose landing gear, shards of red wing tip navigation lens, along with the pitot tube (mounted at the left wingtip, underside) were a further 30 feet down range.
The main wreckage came to rest about 160 feet beyond the first impact point. The cabin area rested upright on a bearing of 170 degrees and sustained crush damage from the firewall through to the passenger seat bulkhead. All flight instruments had become detached from the panel. The tail section was intact, upright, and undamaged. The engine mount had separated from the airframe, with the engine remaining partially attached to the firewall via control cables and hoses.
Both wings had separated from the center spar, and remained loosely oriented perpendicular to the main cabin. The right wing was inverted, with the outboard section of the leading edge crushed at a 45-degree angle towards the trailing edge of the wing tip. The left wing came to rest leading edge up, and sustained leading edge crush damage along its entire length. The stall warning indictor was crushed at the wingtip, and the Pitot tube had become detached.
Both wing spar fuel tanks were breached, and the odor of automotive gasoline was present at the site. The magneto switch was observed in the both position; additionally, the fuel selector valve was in the right wing tank position. The throttle, and fuel mixture controls were in the full forward position. The flap actuator was set to the fully retracted flap position.
All major components of airplane were accounted for at the accident site, and the airframe was free of any indications of bird strike.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
An autopsy for the pilot was conducted by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Coroner Division. The cause of death was reported as the effect of multiple blunt force injuries.
Toxicological tests on specimens recovered from the pilot were performed by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, along with the County of San Diego, Office of the Medical Examiner. The results were negative for all screened drug substances and ingested alcohol. Refer to the toxicology report included in the public docket for specific test parameters and results.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
Flight Controls
All control cables for the elevator, aileron, and rudder were continuous from the control surface fittings and torque tubes through to their respective cockpit control attach points. The foot pedals and control yoke assembly sustained fragmentation and bending damage consistent with impact overload.
The rudder was still attached to the vertical stabilizer at all of its hinges, and swung freely when moved by hand.
The elevator swung freely when moved by hand, and the trim actuator was in place and moved appropriately in conjunction with movement of the elevator. The elevator trim actuator tube was continuous to forward cabin, where the trim wheel had separated from the cabin frame.
Both ailerons sustained crush damage, and remained partially attached via their hinges at their respective locations on the wing trailing edge.
The flap actuator remained attached to the center spar and torque tube. The actuator was fully retracted, which was consistent with fully retracted flaps.
Control Cable Airworthiness Directive
Airworthiness Directive (AD) 72-06-02 applicable to the AA-1A was issued in August 1974. The directive required inspection of the rudder, aileron, and elevator control cable group, along with their associated pulleys, in the area under the wing center spar. The cables and pulleys were inspected during the investigation in accordance with the AD and no defects were noted; additionally, a maintenance logbook entry from the last annual inspection indicated that AD had been complied with.
The stall warning indicator sustained impact damage, which prevented any assessment of its working condition at the time of the accident.
Engine
The engine's lower cowling area was crushed, impinging the inlet air box, crushing the right-side inlet and exhaust manifold pipes along with the muffler, and separating the carburetor bowl. The engine driven fuel pump remained attached to the crankcase, contained fuel, and was free of internal obstruction. Disassembly revealed that its internal diaphragms and seals were intact, pliable, and free of damage. All fuel fittings were tight at their respective fittings throughout the engine compartment. The engine appeared to have sustained damage limited to the ancillary components, and external examination revealed no evidence of preimpact catastrophic mechanical malfunction or fire.
The two-blade propeller had separated from the crankshaft flange and remained partially attached to the flywheel. The nose cone was crushed, and one blade had bent about 90 degrees midspan, opposite the direction of rotation. The blade exhibited leading and trailing edge nicks; the second blade was bent slightly forward but was largely undamaged.
The left and right magnetos remained securely attached at their respective mounting pads. The ignition harnesses sustained crush damage, and were secure at each magneto and spark plug. The magnetos were removed for examination; each produced a spark at the end of their respective distributor block during hand rotation. The top spark plugs were removed and examined. The electrodes remained mechanically undamaged, coated in light grey deposits, and displayed normal, short service time wear signatures when compared with the Champion Spark Plugs AV-27 Check-A-Plug chart.
The crankshaft was rotated by hand utilizing the vacuum pump output drive. The crankshaft rotated smoothly, and "thumb" compression was observed on all cylinders. Mechanical continuity was established throughout the rotating group, valve train and accessory section, and all rocker arms displayed equal amounts of lift, and were coated in clear oil.
The cylinder combustion chambers were examined utilizing a borescope. The combustion chambers appeared mechanically undamaged, and there was no evidence of foreign object ingestion or detonation. The valves were intact and undamaged, and there was no evidence of valve to piston face contact. The gas path and combustion signatures observed at the spark combustion chambers and exhaust system components displayed light grey deposits and coloration.
The oil filter was removed and cut open. The element appeared wet with clean oil, and free of debris. The oil screen was similarly free of debris.
No evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure of the engine or airframe was noted during the examination. A complete report is contained in the public docket.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Video
The takeoff and accident sequence were captured on video by a member of the group, located about 1/2 mile north of the accident site. The video revealed that the airplane departed to the south, and began a climbing right turn to the north, leveling off parallel with the group at an altitude of about 300 ft agl. At that time a witness was recorded stating that the pilot should be performing a low pass. The airplane then transitioned to the east, while descending as it approached the camera. The descent progressed, accompanied by an increase in engine tone as the airplane started banking about 25 degrees to the right as it passed about 50 ft overhead, 80 seconds after takeoff. The turn continued with the airplane now banking 30 degrees until it leveled off on a southerly track a few seconds later. Seven seconds later the airplane began a climbing right turn to about 200 ft agl, reaching a bank angle of about 80 degrees as it passed out of the cameras view. One second later, the airplane reemerged, now in a 90-degree right bank, with the entire upper side of the fuselage visible. The nose then yawed about 20 degrees down while the airplane maintained the almost vertical right bank attitude. The airplane then began to rapidly descend, the nose dropped further, and the airplane rolled right and pitched down striking the ground in an almost vertical attitude about 18 seconds after the low pass. The engine could be heard operating throughout the recording, and no smoke or vapor trails were visible.
Weight and Balance
The engine STC SA4387NM provided for an increase in gross weight to 1,579 pounds. The airplane's basic empty weight was 1,130 pounds, and the combined weight of the pilot and passenger was about 240 pounds. The baggage compartment was loaded with about 8 pounds of equipment and tools, and according to the airplane's co-owner, prior to the first flight at the lake, the airplane's right fuel tank was full (capacity 11 usable gallons) and the left tank contained between 3 and 6 gallons.
Based on these values, the airplane would have been about 100 pounds below maximum gross weight, and the center of gravity would have been about 77 inches aft of the datum. The loading graph for the airplane indicated a center of gravity range of between 75 and 80 inches when flown under the normal category.
Performance
An accurate assessment of the airplane's airspeed throughout the flight could not be determined. According to the AA-1A Owner's Manual, the airplane's cruise speed at 65 percent power, and 8,000 ft was 119 mph. Stall speeds in the flaps up, maximum gross weight, and forward center of gravity configuration were 63 mph at 0 degrees angle of bank, and 89 mph at 60 degrees. Maximum approved positive flight load factors in the normal category with flaps up were 3.8 G's.
The FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25A) described the load factors experienced by airplanes in steep coordinated turns, along with the associated changes in stall speed (Figure 4-45. Angle of bank changes load factor). Specifically, the load factor for an airplane in a 60-degree bank is 2 G's, rising to 5.76 G's in an 80-degree bank. Based on the data, the stall speed in an 80-degree banked turn would have been about 132 mph. (Figure 4-46. Load factor changes stall speed).
Spins were prohibited, and according to the Owner's Manual, in the event of an inadvertent spin, "brisk" application of spin recovery techniques are required, otherwise more than one additional turn would be needed for recovery.
NTSB Identification: WPR14FA239
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, June 09, 2014 in El Mirage, CA
Aircraft: AMERICAN AVIATION AA-1A, registration: N9454L
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On June 9, 2014, about 1115 Pacific daylight time, an American Aviation AA-1A, N9454L, collided with the dry surface of El Mirage Lake, in El Mirage, California. The airplane was co-owned, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The commercial pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed during the accident sequence. The local personal flight departed from the El Mirage Lakebed, about 1100. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Members of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) had organized an off-duty recreation day at the lakebed. The group was comprised of about 12 people, and included family and friends. A combination of activities was planned, including camping, along with flying both the accident airplane and powered paragliders. The accident pilot was a fire helicopter pilot, assigned to the air operations division of the LAFD.
About 0930, the pilot departed with one of his daughters in the accident airplane to perform a sightseeing flight in the local area. The flight departed from the lakebed in a southerly direction in light and variable winds, and lasted about 15 minutes. A short time later he flew his second daughter on a similar flight, for a similar amount of time.
For the third, and accident flight, the group requested that the pilot perform a "low-pass" over the north shore of the lakebed, where everyone had assembled.
According to witnesses, the flight departed again to the south, but this time the wind had picked up such that a left crosswind existed during takeoff. The flight progressed as before, and after about 15 minutes the airplane approached the group from the northwest, at a low altitude for what was presumed to be the low-pass. The airplane flew over the group about 100 feet agl, and after passing initiated a climbing right crosswind turn to the south. Witnesses reported that as the airplane turned from crosswind to downwind, the bank angle became "excessive," with some witnesses assuming the pilot was either positioning the airplane to land, or returning for a second low-pass. The airplane did not level after the bank. The nose then pitched down, and the airplane descended into the ground at a 45-degree nose-down angle.
The accident site was located on the western side of the lakebed, at an elevation of 2,841 feet msl.
The lakebed was comprised of smooth, hard-packed soil, with the first identified point of impact including a series of 2-inch-deep ground disruptions. Ground scars continued 10-feet further, on a bearing of 320 degrees magnetic, and included debris consisting of green wingtip navigation lens fragments and the nose landing gear strut. The engine starter ring and alternator belt were located adjacent to the scars. The propeller, nose landing gear, shards of red wing tip navigation lens, along with the pitot tube (mounted at the left wingtip, underside) were a further 30-feet down range.
The main wreckage came to rest about 160 feet beyond the first impact point. The cabin area rested upright on a bearing of 170 degrees and sustained crush damage from the firewall through to the passenger seat bulkhead. The flight controls were fragmented, and all flight instruments were detached from the panel. The tail section was intact, upright, and undamaged. The engine mount had detached from the airframe, with the engine remaining partially attached to the firewall via control cables and hoses.
Both wings had separated from the center spar, and remained loosely oriented perpendicular to the main cabin. The right wing was inverted, with the outboard section of the leading edge crushed at a 45-degree angle towards the trailing edge of the wing tip. The left wing came to rest leading edge up, and sustained leading edge crush damage along its entire length. Both wing spar fuel tanks were breached, and the odor of automotive gasoline was present at the site. The magneto switch was observed in the both position; additionally, the fuel selector valve was in the right wing tank position. The carburetor heat, throttle, and fuel mixture controls were in the full forward position. The flap actuator was set to the fully retracted flap position.
All major components of airplane were accounted for at the accident site, and the airframe was free of any indications of bird strike.
Sebastian Joshua Grewal
Veteran
LAFD helicopter pilot Brian Lee, shown in a photo provided by the
department, died in an off-duty plane crash on June 9, 2014.
Memorial Service Held for LAFD Pilot Killed in Crash
A memorial service was held Tuesday for a Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter pilot/paramedic who was killed, along with an 8-year-old child, when the small plane he was piloting while off duty crashed in San Bernardino County.
Brian Lee, 47, of Saugus, was fatally injured about 11:15 a.m. June 9 at the northwest end of El Mirage Dry Lake recreation area, the San Bernardino County coroner’s office reported. He died at a hospital later that day.
A passenger in the plane, 8-year-old Sebastian Grewal of Frasier Park, died at a hospital on Friday, the San Bernardino County coroner’s office reported.
The cause of the crash was under investigation. Lee was reportedly giving the boy a plane ride during a camping trip. The paramedic was a friend of the boy’s family.
Lee’s memorial service was held at the LAFD’s Air Operations facility at Fire Station 114 in Van Nuys. The flag-draped casket was brought to the facility in an LAFD Air Operations helicopter, and was escorted by colleagues.
Interment was scheduled to follow at Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall.
LAFD colleagues who were on hand when the crash occurred rushed to render aid. San Bernardino County Fire Department paramedics began emergency care and then airlifted Lee and the boy to trauma centers.
Lee had recently celebrated his 47th birthday, and had served for more than 25 years with the department.
Sebastian Joshua Grewal
An 8-year-old Hesperia boy died Friday night from injuries he suffered in a plane crash at El Mirage Dry Lake, according to his family.
Despite the efforts of doctors and the prayers of many in the community, Sebastian Joshua Grewal died at Loma Linda University Medical Center at approximately 10 p.m. Friday, his father Joshua Grewal said.
"Sebastian passed away peacefully last night in my arms, surrounded by family," Joshua Grewal said Saturday morning by phone. "I am humbled and touched by all the love and support from the High Desert community and I am forever thankful."
Sebastian, who loved planes and dreamed of becoming a pilot, was critically injured in the crash late Monday morning and was airlifted to Loma Linda where physicians treated him for severe brain injuries, according to his father.
During his stay, doctors performed multiple surgeries on the boy, including one to relieve pressure to the brain, Joshua Grewal said.
As his son was being treated, Joshua Grewal, the owner of Menchie’s frozen yogurt shop in Hesperia, asked the community to lift his son up in prayer and at times wished the he could exchange places with his little boy who also loved cars, golfing and dirt bikes.
Joshua Grewal said Sebastian was “fighting very hard to live” and that “it’s a miracle that he is still alive” after seeing the wreckage of the single-engine Grumman AA-1A aircraft.
Brian Lee, 47, a family friend and pilot of the aircraft, was pronounced dead Monday night at a Palmdale hospital after being airlifted there. Lee was a Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter pilot and firefighter/paramedic.
According to the LAFD, Lee was a 25-year veteran of the department and was not on duty when the plane experienced problems and crashed.
Joshua Grewal said Lee had taken the plane out to give Sebastian a plane ride during a camping trip. Grewal said Lee left behind twin girls.
Hesperia Mayor Pro Tem Eric Schmidt said the High Desert community, and Hesperia in particular, mourns the loss of Sebastian.
"Our support and prayers go out to Josh and the rest of the family and friends impacted by this tragic accident," Schmidt said.
Hesperia Mayor Thurston "Smitty" Smith reached out to Joshua Grewal soon after the crash and said he'll continue to pray for the family and to make himself available to them.
"It breaks my heart that another father has lost his child," Smith said Saturday morning. "I lost my son, Brandon, seven years ago and the pain is still there. … This is a tragic and sad day. Father's Day will never be the same for Josh."
http://www.vvdailypress.com
Sebastian Joshua Grewal
HESPERIA • Sebastian Joshua Grewal, 8, of Hesperia, is clinging to life at Loma Linda University Medical Center after he was critically injured late Monday morning in a plane crash at El Mirage Dry Lake.
“He wants to be a pilot when he grows up,” said Sebastian’s father, Josh Grewal, on Tuesday morning by phone. “He is fighting very hard to live as we speak. Looking at the wreckage of the plane, it’s a miracle that he is still alive.”
Josh Grewal, who is the owner of Menchie’s frozen yogurt shop in Hesperia, said doctors at Loma Linda were performing a second surgery to relieve pressure on Sebastian’s brain on Tuesday.
“Sebastian just turned eight in March, and he loves airplanes, cars, golfing and dirt bikes,” Grewal said. “The community can just keep him in their prayers.”
In a Monday night Facebook post, Josh Grewal said, “... a father's heart is reaching out to whoever is in charge. Please save my son.”
According to authorities, the pilot of the aircraft was off-duty Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter pilot and firefighter/paramedic Brian Lee, 47, who was pronounced dead Monday night at a Palmdale hospital after being airlifted there.
“My heart is also breaking for Brian (Lee), the pilot and a friend,” said Grewal, who lives in Hesperia. “He has two little twin girls.”
According to the LAFD, Lee was a 25-year veteran of the department and was not on duty when the plane experienced problems and crashed.
What exactly caused the plane to go down is unclear, but San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Cpl. Randy Naquin said the plane did a nosedive after experiencing "some sort of mechanical issue."
Lee could not regain control of the small plane and it crashed in the northwest end of the lake bed.
Lee had taken the plane out to the dry lake to give Sebastian a plane ride during a camping trip.
Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, identified the single-engine plane as a Grumman AA-1A. Lee had taken off in the plane from the lakebed and planned to land there as well, Gregor said.
Gregor said the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board would investigate.
Story and photos: http://www.vvdailypress.com
(Credit: Newspro)
An off-duty Los Angeles firefighter was killed and a boy passenger was in critical condition after a small, private plane crashed near El Mirage Lake in the Mojave Desert on Monday, according to authorities.
The crash occurred at the northwest end of the dry lake bed (map) around 11:10 a.m, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
Brian Lee, a helicopter pilot and firefighter/paramedic with the Los Angeles Fire Department, was killed, LAFD announced Monday evening.
His civilian passenger was in critical condition, the department stated in a news release.
Off-duty LAFD colleagues witnessed the crash and “rushed to render aid,” the release said.
Both patients were airlifted to local trauma centers, but Lee died. He had just turned 47 and had served more than 25 years with the Los Angeles Fire Department.
When first responders arrived, firefighters who had been camping at the lake bed were giving CPR to the two people who had been in the plane, sheriff’s Cpl. Randy Naquin.
The firefighters had been taking turns flying the plane when some kind of trouble caused it to nosedive, Naquin said. The pilot attempted to recover and land the aircraft, but it did several barrel rolls, he said.
The passenger, a male juvenile, was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center, Naquin said. The pilot had been taken to Palmdale trauma center.
The wreckage lay twisted on the sand, video from the scene showed.
The aircraft had taken off from the dry lake bed and planned to land there as well, according to Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor, who said the plane was a single-engine Grumman AA-1A.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board planned to investigate, Gregor said.
The lake bed is in a remote area that is popular for camping about 33 miles east of Lancaster and 55 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles.
http://ktla.com
A pilot who died in a small plane crash in San Bernardino County on Monday was a 25-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department, officials said.
Brian Lee, an LAFD helicopter pilot and firefighter paramedic, was flying with a young passenger when the private plane crash at El Mirage Dry Lake.
Lee and a 7- to 8-year-old boy were airlifted to hospitals following the crash, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department Spokeswoman Tracy Martinez.
Lee died at the hospital, officials said. The boy was in critical condition.
The plane was flying over El Mirage Dry Lake bed about 11 a.m. when it struck the ground and flipped several times, leaving a trail of debris more than 30 yards long.
"There was something that caused the aircraft to nosedive," San Bernardino Sheriff's Cpl. Randy Naquin said. "The pilot attempted to regain control of the aircraft, tried to land it, and the aircraft ended up doing a couple of barrel rolls."
The American Aviation AA-1A Trainer was severely damaged in the crash, authorities said. The initial call reporting the crash came in as a helicopter crash.
The crash was reportedly near the northwest end of the lake.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration also responded to the crash.
Brian Lee, an LAFD helicopter pilot and firefighter paramedic, was flying with a young passenger when the private plane crash at El Mirage Dry Lake.
Lee and a 7- to 8-year-old boy were airlifted to hospitals following the crash, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department Spokeswoman Tracy Martinez.
Lee died at the hospital, officials said. The boy was in critical condition.
The plane was flying over El Mirage Dry Lake bed about 11 a.m. when it struck the ground and flipped several times, leaving a trail of debris more than 30 yards long.
"There was something that caused the aircraft to nosedive," San Bernardino Sheriff's Cpl. Randy Naquin said. "The pilot attempted to regain control of the aircraft, tried to land it, and the aircraft ended up doing a couple of barrel rolls."
The American Aviation AA-1A Trainer was severely damaged in the crash, authorities said. The initial call reporting the crash came in as a helicopter crash.
The crash was reportedly near the northwest end of the lake.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration also responded to the crash.
Source: http://www.nbclosangeles.com
A pilot was killed and a boy injured after a private plane crashed at El Mirage Dry Lake in San Bernardino County on Monday, June 9, 2014.
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