Aviat CHRISTEN EAGLE II accident near Ramona, California, January 22, 1994
On January 22, 1994 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Aviat CHRISTEN EAGLE II, registered N27HR, was destroyed in an accident near Ramona, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain an adequate visual lookout and proper altitude to avoid colliding with rising terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 1994 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ramona, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat CHRISTEN EAGLE II CHRISTEN E
- Registration
- N27HR · registry record · serial ROSS 002
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT TO PHOTOGRAPH SOME PROPERTY THAT WAS OWNED BY THE PILOT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING LOW AND SLOW, GRADUALLY DESCENDING TOWARD RISING TERRAIN. AFTER GROUND CONTACT IN A NEAR WINGS AND NOSE LEVEL ATTITUDE, THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK A LARGE ROCK AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE PILOT WAS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE AIRPLANE, FORWARD OF THE FUSELAGE. THE PILOT SUSTAINED THERMAL INJURIES AND INHALATION OF THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION. POSITIVE TOXICOLOGICAL RESULTS FOR ETHANOL WERE BELOW THE THRESHOLD OF IMPAIRMENT AND WAS NOT A FACTOR. NO MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINE WAS FOUND.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 455 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-AID (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:49 pm from SEE, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.