Heat Possible Factor In Accidents That Claimed Two, Injured Four

It's quite possible Thursday, August 30 will become known as Black Thursday to people in Cameron Park, CA. Two separate accidents occurred the same day, within about six hours of each other at Cameron Airpark (O61).

The first accident occurred about 6:30 am and involved a couple flying a Kitfox, according to the Sacramento Bee. The man and a woman onboard were bound for Idaho when the plane went down shortly after takeoff, said Deputy Phil Chovanec.

Witnesses reported seeing the couple crawl out of the plane. They were taken to a local hospital and authorities reported both were in stable condition Thursday.

The second accident didn't end quite so well. A Beechcraft A36, carrying four people bound for Ensenada, Mexico, went down about six hours after the first accident... and also just after takeoff. It went down about 200 yards north of the runway in an open field, according to Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Ian Gregor.

El Dorado County sheriff's spokesman Lt. Kevin House said the Beechcraft bounced several times prior to impact with a hill. The plane's structure then broke apart. Two of the persons onboard were killed.

Authorities aren't clear on the causes of either accident, but are certain they are not connected.

Bob Petersen, commander of the Sheriff's Department's air squadron, speculates heat may have been a factor.

"It's not just the altitude," Petersen said. "As temperature goes up, the air gets thinner."

The aircraft may not have been able to generate enough lift due to high density altitudes at the , he said.

"It's just a strange coincidence," House said. "We never had two crashes in the same day."

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 96KL        Make/Model: EXP       Description: KITFOX
  Date: 08/30/2007     Time: 1330

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Serious     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: PLACERVILLE   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, NEAR PLACERVILLE, CA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   0
                 # Crew:   2     Fat:   0     Ser:   2     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: METAR KMHR 301355Z 15006KT 10SM SCT080 22/11 A2991

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Unknown      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: SACRAMENTO, CA  (WP25)                Entry date: 08/31/2007

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 1098F        Make/Model: BE36      Description: 36 Bonanza
  Date: 08/30/2007     Time: 1935

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: CAMERON PARK   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON DEPARTURE AND CAME TO REST INVERTED, THERE WERE FOUR
  PERSONS ON BOARD, ONE WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THREE SUSTAINED SERIOUS
  INJURIES, CAMERON PARK, CA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   4     Fat:   1     Ser:   3     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: METAR KMHR 301945Z 19008KT 10SM SCT100 38/13 A2989

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Take-off      Operation: OTHER

  FAA FSDO: SACRAMENTO, CA  (WP25)                Entry date: 08/31/2007

FMI: www.faa.gov