Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lytle Creek, California 92358
Saturday, March 20, 1999 9:41 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot and student pilot passenger departed in visual flight conditions for a personal cross-country flight to another airport. The flight was to take them through a mountainous pass that was observed from the flight school office to be obscured in clouds. The flight school operator stated that while fueling the airplane they could see a storm coming and advised the pilot to stay over the highway and to avoid the clouds. He told the pilot if he inadvertently got into the clouds he was to make an immediate 180-degree turn back to where it was clear. A ground witness observed the airplane at the base of the clouds, where it banked left and flew from his view. He subsequently heard an impact noise. The witness relocated his position and was able to see the crash site. He hiked back to his vehicle and called authorities.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadvertent visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions resulting in impact with high terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/20/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 941
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LYTLE CREEK
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92358
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 911 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 187
Weather Observation Facility ID ONT
Elevation of weather observation facility 943
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1622
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 20 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:03AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2529W
NTSB Number LAX99FA125
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8516076
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 5851
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LARRY R. SHARP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 524 CAMINO REAL
Aircraft Owner City REDLANDS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92373
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERODROME AIRCRAFT RENTAL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1745 SESSUMS DR. HANGAR C
Operator City REDLANDS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92344
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code L12
Departure City REDLANDS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code L70
Destination City AGUA DULCE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --