Amateur-built DH-82A accident near Sedona, Arizona, July 11, 1998
On July 11, 1998 at about 2:10 am local time, a amateur-built DH-82A, registered N5050C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sedona, Arizona. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain a visual clearance with the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1998 · about 2:10 am local time
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DH-82A
- Registration
- N5050C · registry record · serial NL875
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was filming a commercial and was making coordinated low passes with a car on the ground while attempting to drop a mailbag into the car for purposes of the commercial story line. On the last pass, the pilot impacted the top 2 1/2 feet of a tree while flying about 50 to 60 mph. He reported that the tree was off the aircraft nose and stated that he never saw it. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident, nor was there any visibility restriction.
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, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,170 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 3,076 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,770 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: De Havilland GIPSY MAJOR (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEZ Sedona AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:58 am from FLG, 20 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.