On July 11, 1998, a DE Havilland DH-82A (registration N5050C) was involved in an aviation accident near Sedona, AZ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the pilot to maintain a visual clearance with the trees. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot impacted a tree while making a low pass to drop a mailbag into a car for a commercial. The pilot reported no mechanical issues or visibility restrictions.
Incident Overview
During the filming of a commercial, a pilot conducted coordinated low passes with a car on the ground. The objective was to drop a mailbag into the car as part of the commercial's storyline. On the final pass, the aircraft's top 2 1/2 feet struck a tree while traveling at an estimated speed of 50 to 60 mph.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that the tree was located off the aircraft's nose and stated that he never saw it. He also indicated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident, and no visibility restrictions were present.
Sequence of Events
The pilot was making repeated low passes in coordination with the car. The last pass ended with the aircraft contacting the upper portion of a tree. The pilot was unable to see the tree before impact, despite the absence of any reported obstructions to visibility or mechanical issues.