On October 27, 1985, a Champion 7ECA (registration N7547F) operated by Charles E. Mann Enterprises was involved in an aviation accident near Seal Beach, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's distraction by the sailboat, leading to a failure to monitor altitude, resulting in an uncontrolled descent into the water. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot and passenger were taking photos of sailboats from the air when the pilot, distracted by the sailboat, failed to monitor altitude. The aircraft descended and struck the water, then sank. The rear-seated pilot extricated himself, but the front-seated passenger drowned after hitting the instrument panel.
Accident Details
A pilot and a passenger conducted a prearranged flight over water to photograph friends in sailboats. The pilot rolled the aircraft into a medium bank and circled above a specific boat while the passenger began taking photographs.
Sequence of Events
While circling, the pilot became distracted by the sailboat and failed to maintain attention to the aircraft's altitude. The aircraft descended until it contacted the water surface. Upon impact, the aircraft quickly sank. The rear-seated pilot-in-command was able to extricate himself from the sinking aircraft. However, the front-seated passenger struck his head on the instrument panel and subsequently drowned.
Probable Cause
The probable cause was the pilot's distraction by the sailboat, leading to a failure to monitor altitude, resulting in an uncontrolled descent into the water.