NTSB Factual Report

On August 03, 2017, at 1503 Pacific daylight time, a single-engine experimental Michaelian Lancair IV-TP, N420M, impacted a residential area in Rio Linda, California following a loss of engine power while on approach to Mc Clellan Airfield, Sacramento, California. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured; the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to Pilot Proficiency Inc., and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The personal flight departed from Auburn Municipal Airport, Auburn, California at 1455 with a planned destination of San Carlos Airport, San Carlos, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed; the pilot was receiving flight following advisories.

Located in the wreckage was a Garmin GPSMAP 396, battery-powered portable GPS receiver. The unit stores date, route-of-flight, and flight-time information; all recorded data is stored in non-volatile memory.

Recorded data plots were recovered for the time frame that matched the anticipated flight track of the airplane departing from Auburn. The track indicated that the airplane departed from runway 25 about 1455. After becoming airborne, the airplane climbed and headed toward San Carlos on a heading of about 220 degrees. At 1459:28, with the airplane about 6,800 ft msl, the airplane began a gradual descent and shifted to a 240-degree heading. The airplane continued in the direction while cruising between about 215-200 kts until 1502:02 when the airplane made a left turn to adjoin the final approach leg to runway 16 at Mc Clellan Airfield.

The last six hits of the flight track occurred over 35 seconds from 1502:06 to 1502:41. During that time the speed increased from 130 kts to 91 kts and the altitude decreased about 510 ft. The last recorded point placed the airplane approximately 790 feet north-northeast of the accident site at 155 feet msl.

Numerous witnesses observed the airplane flying south along 28th street toward Mc Clellan Airfield at a low altitude. The airplane suddenly made a sharp turn to the right and disappeared into the trees.

The accident site was in a back yard of a residence located on the corner of U street (east-west oriented) and 28th street (north-south oriented). Powerlines were located 190 ft north of the wreckage with two support structures (wood poles) on both sides of 28th street (south side of U street), at a distance of 75 ft apart. The lines had been separated from the west structure attach fittings (35-ft high) but remained attached to the east structure (about 50 ft high). The upper powerline had several bends in the center area consistent with the airplane having made contact with the wire.