On June 7, 1990, a Bellanca 8KCAB (registration N50353) operated by Kindel, Charles E. was involved in an aviation accident near Phoenix, AZ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft that departed early morning for a local flight was found the next day in sparsely inhabited mountainous terrain after an ELT signal was reported. Examination found no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction.
Incident Sequence
A pilot departed from his home airport early in the morning for a local flight. The aircraft did not return and was not reported overdue or missing. The following day, a pilot flying in the Phoenix area reported receiving an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal emitting from the local aerobatic practice area. Search personnel located the aircraft impacted in sparsely inhabited mountainous terrain.
Findings
Examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure of any aircraft system. The investigation did not identify any specific cause for the accident.