The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Riverside, California
Planes of Fame Air Museum; Chino, California
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Riverside, California
Planes of Fame Air Museum; Chino, California
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:
Location: Norco, California
Accident Number: WPR19FA118
Date & Time: April 22, 2019, 12:09 Local
Registration: N9MB
Aircraft: Northrop N9M
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis
The pilot was conducting a local post-maintenance test flight following the completion of the airplane's annual inspection. Radar information showed the airplane flying on a roughly easterly heading before the accident; however, no altitude information was captured. Multiple witnesses located adjacent to the accident site reported observing the airplane flying at low altitude when it pitched upward and banked left before abruptly banking right and nosediving toward the ground. One witness stated that, as the right roll continued, the rpm of the engines increased quickly, and the airplane entered a "diving right corkscrew turn" until it descended out of sight. A video provided by a witness near the accident site did not capture the airplane but did capture the sound of modulating engine noise before the impact, likely a result of an in-flight loss of control.
Wreckage and impact signatures were consistent with a near-vertical, high speed impact with terrain. All major structural components of the airplane were accounted for during the examination of the accident site and recovered wreckage, and no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction was observed with the airframe, engines, or propellers; however, the extent of damage sustained in the accident sequence precluded functional testing of the flight control system, its associated hydraulics, and the engine systems. The location of the canopy located within the debris path and the unlatched seat restraint suggest that the pilot, who was wearing a parachute, may have initiated egress following a loss of control, but it is likely that he did not have sufficient altitude to do so before impact occurred.
Although toxicology revealed the presence of ethanol in the pilot's muscle tissue, it is likely that some or all the detected ethanol may have been from sources other than ingestion. Additional testing from a secondary laboratory found unspecified amounts of ethanol and pseudoephedrine/ephedrine. It is unlikely that ethanol or medication use contributed to the accident.
It is likely that the pilot experienced an inflight loss of control; however, given the significant fragmentation of the wreckage, the reason for the loss of control could not be determined from the available information.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's loss of control for undetermined reasons.
Findings
Not determined (general) - Unknown/Not determined
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Factual Information
History of Flight
Maneuvering Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Maneuvering Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
On April 22, 2019, about 1209 Pacific daylight time, a Northrop N9M airplane, N9MB, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Norco, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Representatives from the Planes of Fame Air Museum, Chino, California, reported that the accident flight was a post-maintenance check flight in preparation for their annual air show.
Multiple witnesses adjacent to the accident site saw the airplane flying on an east-northeasterly heading at a low altitude. One witness, who was a pilot, was located about 0.5 mile southeast of the accident site and reported seeing the accident airplane in level flight with what sounded like a cruise power setting; both engines appeared to be functioning. The witness said that the airplane then pitched upward no more than 15°, and during the climb, the airplane banked left about 10 to 20°, before it abruptly banked to the right until the airplane was inverted. The witness added that once the airplane was inverted, the engines began to sputter; however, as the roll continued, the engines' rpm increased quickly, and the airplane entered a "diving right corkscrew turn." The airplane continued to descend below a tree line out of the witness's view; however, he could hear "a very loud noise from the engines" followed by the sound of impact; he subsequently saw a rising plume of black smoke.
Another witness stated that the airplane appeared to initiate a "barrel roll" at a low altitude and begin to wobble back and forth before the canopy separated from the airplane. The witness added that the airplane wobbled a second time before it rolled to the right and descended into the ground.
Review of radar data obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed a primary radar target on an easterly heading about 3 miles south of Chino Airport, Chino, California, as seen in figure 1; no altitude information was available. The last return was about 0.3 mile west of the accident site.
Two videos were submitted by witnesses who were located along the flight path and near the accident site. In the first video, the airplane was seen flying in a level attitude with both engines operating. The airplane was not visible in the second video; however, the sound of both engines could be heard from the start of the recording until a plume of smoke could be seen in the upper left corner of the video frame. Variances in the tone of the engine noise could be heard during the last 14 seconds of the recording.
Figure 1. View of radar track information, with witness video locations depicted.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Airline transport
Age: 51, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land; Multi-engine sea
Seat Occupied: Center
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane multi-engine; Airplane single-engine
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 1 With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: March 18, 2019
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 20029 hours (Total, all aircraft), 25 hours (Total, this make and model)
The pilot held type ratings in A-320, ATR-42, ATR-72, Cl-65, CV-LB30, DC-9, B-25, and SF340 aircraft. Personnel from Planes of Flame Air Museum estimated that the pilot had accumulated about 25 hours of flight time in the accident airplane over the span of about 4 years. The pilot was wearing a parachute during the accident flight.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Northrop
Registration: N9MB
Model/Series: N9M
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1945
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental (Special)
Serial Number: 04
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 1
Date/Type of Last Inspection: May 3, 2018
Condition Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 732.8 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Franklin
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: XO-540-7
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 300 Horsepower
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
The single-seat, tricycle retractable gear flying wing airplane, serial number 04, was powered by two 300-horsepower Franklin XO-540-7 engines, serial numbers 88 and 89, driving two Hamilton Standard 2B20-225 constant speed propellers. The airplane's flight control system primarily comprised control cables that extended to all primary flight controls, with hydraulic boosted actuators.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCNO,650 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 4 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 18:53 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 312°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 11000 ft AGL
Visibility:
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 11 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 250°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 21°C / 11°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Chino, CA (CNO)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Chino, CA (CNO)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 12:02 Local
Type of Airspace: Class G
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 33.929443,-117.575279
The airplane impacted the outpatient housing yard of the California Rehabilitation Center. The debris path was oriented on a heading of about 124° magnetic and measured about 474 ft long and 200 ft wide. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was green lens fragments, consistent with the right wing navigational light lens, as shown in figure 2. From the FIPC, a blue-and-yellow colored mark extended about 32 ft to a large ground impression/crater that measured about 2 ft deep and 3 ft wide. Within the ground scar were remains of the right engine. The ground scar extended about 16 ft and contained portions of the cockpit, nose landing gear, and airframe structure. Wood debris, various fragments of both engines, and airframe structure were located throughout the debris path. The left and right propeller assemblies were located about 100 ft from the FIPC. The farthest portion of debris was a propeller blade
tip, located about 474 ft from the FIPC.
Figure 2. Initial impact marks and start of debris path.
Canopy structure and window debris was located about 60 ft northwest of the FIPC and about 330 ft west of the FIPC. Both areas where window and canopy structure were located were in the opposite direction of the debris path, as shown in figure 3.
Figure 3: Accident site overview.
The heavily fragmented wreckage was recovered for further examination. Remains of all major structural components were located throughout the wreckage, including both engines, flight controls, wing structure, engine mounts, propellers, cockpit structure, canopy, and landing gear. The seatbelt clasp ends were located within the recovered wreckage and found in the unlatched position.
Remains of flight control cables were located throughout the recovered debris, in addition to portions of flight control structure. All the separations in the located cables exhibited splayed signatures, consistent with overload separation. Additionally, all of the recovered control cable turnbuckles were intact and had either safety clips or safety wire in place. The flight control trim drums were located within the wreckage with the trim cables still attached. All trim drums exhibited varying degrees of impact damage.
The left and right elevon box actuator housings were located within the recovered wreckage. Both boxes exhibited varying degrees of impact damage. The hydraulic actuators within the boxes were impact damaged. The hydraulic selector valve and follower linkages were impact damaged.
The left and right engines were both displaced from the engine mounts and were fragmented into multiple pieces. Both crankcases were severely fragmented. Remains of all sixteen cylinders, pistons, and connecting rods were observed within the recovered wreckage. Both crankshafts were severely deformed. The torque convertors and driveshafts were impact damaged.
The outboard portion of one propeller was separated about 15 inches from the tip, with a large portion of the leading edge missing, consistent with impact with a circular object. The opposing blade exhibited some aft bending with varying degrees of leading-edge damage. The other propeller exhibited "S" bending on both blades with varying degrees of leading-edge impact marks.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Riverside County Coroner's Office, Perris, California, performed an autopsy of the pilot. The pilot's cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries.
The FAA's Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicology testing on the pilot's tissue samples, which revealed 22 (mg/dL, mh/hg) of ethanol in the muscle.
A secondary laboratory performed toxicological testing of muscle samples. Unspecified amounts of ethanol and pseudoephedrine/ephedrine were detected. The testing did not measure its quantity and did not distinguish pseudoephedrine from ephedrine.
========
Location: Norco, CA
Accident Number: WPR19FA118
Date & Time: 04/22/2019, 1210 PDT
Registration: N9MB
Aircraft: NORTHROP N9M
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On April 22, 2019, about 1210 Pacific daylight time, a Northrop N9M airplane, N9MB, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Norco, California. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the Planes of Fame Air Museum under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The local flight originated from the Chino Airport, Chino, California, about 1202.
Multiple witnesses located near the accident site reported observing the airplane flying on a north eastern heading at a low altitude when it performed a "barrel roll." Several witnesses reported that after the maneuver, the airplane "wobbled [from] side to side" before the airplane's canopy separated. Shortly after, the airplane entered a steep right turn, and descended into the ground in a nose low attitude.
Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the outpatient housing yard of the California Rehabilitation Center. The debris path was about 474 ft in length, 200 ft wide, and oriented on a magnetic heading of about 124°. All major structural components of the airplane were observed within the wreckage debris path.
The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: NORTHROP
Registration: N9MB
Model/Series: N9M
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Planes of Fame Air Museum
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCNO, 650 ft msl
Observation Time: 1853 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 4 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 21°C / 11°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 11000 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 11 knots / , 250°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Chino, CA (CNO)
Destination: Chino, CA (CNO)
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 33.929444, -117.575278
The pilot who died in the Monday crash of a vintage N9MB Northrop Flying Wing in a Norco prison yard has been identified as David Vopat, 51, of Chino.
The Riverside County Coroner’s office released Vopat’s name early Wednesday afternoon. He died when the historic plane crashed shortly after noon into the yard of the California Rehabilitation Center.
One inmate suffered scratches, but there were no serious injuries to prisoners or staff at the 98-acre facility. Vopat was the only person on board the plane.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. The plane, which was destroyed in the crash, was the last remaining of four models in the N9M series built by Northrop in 1944-45.
The plane was restored and owned by the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.pe.com
A prototype Northrop N-9 Flying Wing, a revolutionary tailless aircraft, shown over California during a 1942 test flight, was restored by volunteers at the Planes of Fame museum at the Chino, California airport.
File photo of the last remaining Northrop N-9M flying wing at the Chino Air Show in 2014. The plane crashed April 22, 2019 in the exercise yard of a state prison in Norco, California.
NORCO, California - Federal investigators today examined the site of a fatal crash involving an experimental twin-engine airplane on the grounds of a prison in Norco, but details regarding what might have happened will not be released for at least a week.
National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Keith Holloway confirmed to City News Service that the crash site at the California Rehabilitation Center on Fifth Street was inspected and that investigators would return to the location Wednesday and possibly Thursday.
An NTSB preliminary accident report, which usually provides a narrative of what events immediately preceded a crash without specifying a cause, would likely be issued early next week, Holloway said.
A final report could be a year or more from completion.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman Terri Hardy told City News Service that prison officials were cooperating and accommodating NTSB investigators in every way possible.
The pilot killed in the crash was identified by the Riverside County Coroner's Office as a 51-year-old man, but his name and other information were withheld pending notification of relatives.
A spokesman for the Planes of Fame Museum at Chino Municipal Airport, where the Northrop N9M was based, told City News Service that any type of charity drive for the aviator's family would be announced via the museum's Facebook page or website, planesoffame.org.
The crash was reported about 12:10 p.m. Monday within a portion of the prison yard under construction, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was killed on impact. No prison guards or inmates were injured.
The Northrop N9M is configured like a flying wing, with two push-propellers mounted behind the cockpit. According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the plane that was destroyed was the last one flying of the four originally built in the early 1940s.
The type was considered in aviation circles to be a "grandfather'' to the modern flying wings built by Northrop-Grumman, including the B-2 Stealth Bomber.
Witnesses said that the plane went into a spin before the crash.
Correctional personnel and county firefighters contained the post-crash fire within 20 minutes, according to reports from the scene.
Chino Airport, about 2.5 miles northwest of the prison, is home to a number of vintage and experimental aircraft.
Online videos of the N9M show that it was flying for demonstration purposes over the last decade, following a lengthy restoration.
The plane that went down had been slated to perform in the annual Planes of Fame Air Show, scheduled for May 4-5, according to the event website.
Original article ➤ https://www.kesq.com
NORCO, California (KABC) -- A historic small airplane crashed on the grounds of a state prison in Norco and disintegrated in flames on Monday, officials said.
The Riverside County coroner's office was at the scene and confirmed the crash was fatal, though it could not immediately confirm who or how many people died.
The FAA, however, said only the pilot was on board the plane.
There were no indications that prisoners or anyone on the ground was injured.
The Northrop N-9M Flying Wing crashed just after noon at the California Rehabilitation Center on Fifth Street in Norco.
The aircraft was identified as a Flying Wing owned by the Planes of Fame Air Museum in nearby Chino.
The museum's website says the plane was built in 1944 and is considered a forerunner of the modern B-2 stealth bomber.
Northrop built four prototypes, but there was only one remaining, the museum said. The museum completed restoration of the aircraft in the 1990s and completed flight testing in 1996.
Its specs say it was just over 17 feet long and could hit a top speed of 220 mph.
"It was so unusual looking," said Susan Fracol, who witnessed the crash. "It was shaped like a stingray fish or it looked like a bat flying. It was just weird looking."
The crash triggered a fire and firefighters responded to extinguish the flames. Very little was left of the plane on the ground after the fire was extinguished.
Fracol recalls: "I saw a bright yellow plane. It made a left dip, a right dip, went forward and went nose first into the ground - and a huge fireball."
She says one of her family members knows the pilot. He was also the mechanic and was preparing the aircraft for a May 4 airshow, she said.
She says before the crash he sent a text message to friends that essentially said "Going flying, see you later for beers."
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
Story and video ➤ https://abc7.com
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Riverside, California
August 21, 2016: On landing, nose gear collapsed.
Date: 21-AUG-16
Time: 21:39:00Z
Regis#: N9MB
Aircraft Make: NORTHROP
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Damage: Minor
City: CHINO
State: California
Accident Number: WPR19FA118
Date & Time: 04/22/2019, 1210 PDT
Registration: N9MB
Aircraft: NORTHROP N9M
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On April 22, 2019, about 1210 Pacific daylight time, a Northrop N9M airplane, N9MB, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Norco, California. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the Planes of Fame Air Museum under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The local flight originated from the Chino Airport, Chino, California, about 1202.
Multiple witnesses located near the accident site reported observing the airplane flying on a north eastern heading at a low altitude when it performed a "barrel roll." Several witnesses reported that after the maneuver, the airplane "wobbled [from] side to side" before the airplane's canopy separated. Shortly after, the airplane entered a steep right turn, and descended into the ground in a nose low attitude.
Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the outpatient housing yard of the California Rehabilitation Center. The debris path was about 474 ft in length, 200 ft wide, and oriented on a magnetic heading of about 124°. All major structural components of the airplane were observed within the wreckage debris path.
The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: NORTHROP
Registration: N9MB
Model/Series: N9M
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Planes of Fame Air Museum
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCNO, 650 ft msl
Observation Time: 1853 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 4 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 21°C / 11°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 11000 ft agl
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 11 knots / , 250°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Chino, CA (CNO)
Destination: Chino, CA (CNO)
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 33.929444, -117.575278
David Vopat, 51, of Chino, the pilot who died in the Monday crash of a vintage N9MB Northrop Flying Wing in a Norco prison yard, sits atop the plane known as the flying wing in this file photo.
The pilot who died in the Monday crash of a vintage N9MB Northrop Flying Wing in a Norco prison yard has been identified as David Vopat, 51, of Chino.
The Riverside County Coroner’s office released Vopat’s name early Wednesday afternoon. He died when the historic plane crashed shortly after noon into the yard of the California Rehabilitation Center.
One inmate suffered scratches, but there were no serious injuries to prisoners or staff at the 98-acre facility. Vopat was the only person on board the plane.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. The plane, which was destroyed in the crash, was the last remaining of four models in the N9M series built by Northrop in 1944-45.
The plane was restored and owned by the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.pe.com
A prototype Northrop N-9 Flying Wing, a revolutionary tailless aircraft, shown over California during a 1942 test flight, was restored by volunteers at the Planes of Fame museum at the Chino, California airport. 
File photo of the last remaining Northrop N-9M flying wing at the Chino Air Show in 2014. The plane crashed April 22, 2019 in the exercise yard of a state prison in Norco, California.NORCO, California - Federal investigators today examined the site of a fatal crash involving an experimental twin-engine airplane on the grounds of a prison in Norco, but details regarding what might have happened will not be released for at least a week.
National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Keith Holloway confirmed to City News Service that the crash site at the California Rehabilitation Center on Fifth Street was inspected and that investigators would return to the location Wednesday and possibly Thursday.
An NTSB preliminary accident report, which usually provides a narrative of what events immediately preceded a crash without specifying a cause, would likely be issued early next week, Holloway said.
A final report could be a year or more from completion.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman Terri Hardy told City News Service that prison officials were cooperating and accommodating NTSB investigators in every way possible.
The pilot killed in the crash was identified by the Riverside County Coroner's Office as a 51-year-old man, but his name and other information were withheld pending notification of relatives.
A spokesman for the Planes of Fame Museum at Chino Municipal Airport, where the Northrop N9M was based, told City News Service that any type of charity drive for the aviator's family would be announced via the museum's Facebook page or website, planesoffame.org.
The crash was reported about 12:10 p.m. Monday within a portion of the prison yard under construction, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was killed on impact. No prison guards or inmates were injured.
The Northrop N9M is configured like a flying wing, with two push-propellers mounted behind the cockpit. According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the plane that was destroyed was the last one flying of the four originally built in the early 1940s.
The type was considered in aviation circles to be a "grandfather'' to the modern flying wings built by Northrop-Grumman, including the B-2 Stealth Bomber.
Witnesses said that the plane went into a spin before the crash.
Correctional personnel and county firefighters contained the post-crash fire within 20 minutes, according to reports from the scene.
Chino Airport, about 2.5 miles northwest of the prison, is home to a number of vintage and experimental aircraft.
Online videos of the N9M show that it was flying for demonstration purposes over the last decade, following a lengthy restoration.
The plane that went down had been slated to perform in the annual Planes of Fame Air Show, scheduled for May 4-5, according to the event website.
Original article ➤ https://www.kesq.com
NORCO, California (KABC) -- A historic small airplane crashed on the grounds of a state prison in Norco and disintegrated in flames on Monday, officials said.
The Riverside County coroner's office was at the scene and confirmed the crash was fatal, though it could not immediately confirm who or how many people died.
The FAA, however, said only the pilot was on board the plane.
There were no indications that prisoners or anyone on the ground was injured.
The Northrop N-9M Flying Wing crashed just after noon at the California Rehabilitation Center on Fifth Street in Norco.
The aircraft was identified as a Flying Wing owned by the Planes of Fame Air Museum in nearby Chino.
The museum's website says the plane was built in 1944 and is considered a forerunner of the modern B-2 stealth bomber.
Northrop built four prototypes, but there was only one remaining, the museum said. The museum completed restoration of the aircraft in the 1990s and completed flight testing in 1996.
Its specs say it was just over 17 feet long and could hit a top speed of 220 mph.
"It was so unusual looking," said Susan Fracol, who witnessed the crash. "It was shaped like a stingray fish or it looked like a bat flying. It was just weird looking."
The crash triggered a fire and firefighters responded to extinguish the flames. Very little was left of the plane on the ground after the fire was extinguished.
Fracol recalls: "I saw a bright yellow plane. It made a left dip, a right dip, went forward and went nose first into the ground - and a huge fireball."
She says one of her family members knows the pilot. He was also the mechanic and was preparing the aircraft for a May 4 airshow, she said.
She says before the crash he sent a text message to friends that essentially said "Going flying, see you later for beers."
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash.
Story and video ➤ https://abc7.com
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Riverside, California
August 21, 2016: On landing, nose gear collapsed.
Date: 21-AUG-16
Time: 21:39:00Z
Regis#: N9MB
Aircraft Make: NORTHROP
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: None
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Damage: Minor
City: CHINO
State: California
This was one of the planes to see on my bucket list. I was able to see it one time at the Camarillo Airshow a couple of years ago. In addition to looking like a big yellow kite in flight, it had a really unusual sound from those pusher props. We lost a piece of history. I wonder if plans exist somewhere?
ReplyDeleteThanks you to all the folks at Planes of Fame who curate these flying pieces of history.
Very sad the pilot lost his life. My condolences to his family and friends.
We dropped by the Planes of Fame museum one hot summer day and by chance, got a tour by Steve Hinton of this very plane while in the maintenance shop with most of the external panels removed. Steve called it the worlds largest Kit plane. It had special Franklin engines that were very different from a standard Franklin. This was our first and only visit and the staff at Planes of Fame treated us like royalty. I can’t express my sorrow to see this occur. This is a must see museum and airshow if you ever get the chance. Planning to donate to pilots family.
ReplyDeleteI just watched a video on Youtube about the YB-49 jet-powered flying wings stall characteristics and it said to never voluntarily stall the ship. General Cardenas shares his experience when his wing stalled and tumbled end over end. The only way he found to recover was to apply full power to one side which in turn would put the wing into a normal spin from which it then could be recovered. He stated he pulled out of the spin at 1,000' agl! RIP to the pilot and a huge loss for the historical aviation community.
ReplyDeleteAccording to this video, there were a number of camera mounts on the aircraft. With luck, a video card might have survived, and may shed some light on the cause of the accident.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWRe9DHQ7vA
The link to the NTSB report doesn't work, and I cannot find any report under the NTSB. What was the cause of the crash? Did it have an engine failure which caused it to roll?
ReplyDelete