Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Douglas City, California 96024
Thursday, October 27, 1994 19:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DURING NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT DIVERTED FROM HIS PLANNED DESTINATION AFTER ENCOUNTERING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS FLYING LOW IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED RAIN, LOW CLOUDS, AND GUSTING WIND CONDITIONS. A HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER, WHO IS ALSO A LICENSED PILOT, REPORTED THE WEATHER IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS IMC. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The improper in-flight decision of the pilot to fly in dark night time conditions in mountainous terrain during adverse weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/27/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City DOUGLAS CITY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96024
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
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 1950 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 84
Weather Observation Facility ID RDD
Elevation of weather observation facility 502
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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) 2076
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 27 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2035
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1497S
NTSB Number LAX95FA020
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T337H
Aircraft Series Identifier T337H
Aircraft Serial Number 01929
Certified Max Gross Weight 4630
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 15 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MURRISON, FORREST E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address HWY 3 & BIG CREEK RD, BOX E
Aircraft Owner City HAYFORK
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96041
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AUN
Departure City AUBURN
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code O85
Destination City REDDING
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
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 --