NTSB Investigates Hesperia Aeronca Champion Crash That Killed Two
Investigators will examine radar, weather, pilot records and the aircraft’s maintenance history.
Two people died Thursday morning when an Aeronca Champion crashed near Summit Valley Road in Hesperia, California, prompting an investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The single-engine plane went down at approximately 9:45 a.m., according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies sent to the rugged area found both occupants dead at the scene.
The FAA identified the aircraft as an Aeronca Champion, a high-wing, tandem-seat tailwheel airplane first introduced in the mid-1940s and popular for flight training and personal recreation. Its lightweight construction can make the classic aircraft highly sensitive to wind and atmospheric turbulence.
The crash site is in a transition zone between the Victor Valley region of the Mojave Desert and the Cajon Pass, flanked by the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains. Local aviators regard the area as challenging because of strong thermal updrafts, sudden wind shear and gusty desert winds funneled through the mountain passes.
NTSB investigators will document the wreckage, review radar data and analyze weather conditions at the time of the flight. They will also examine the pilot’s records and the aircraft’s maintenance history.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s spokesperson Jenny Smith said Summit Valley Road remained open for transit. Authorities have asked the public to stay away from the immediate crash site so investigators can preserve physical evidence.
A preliminary report outlining the factual circumstances of the crash is typically released within 15 days. The full investigation into the probable cause may take 12 to 24 months to complete.
