Oakland International Arp Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pleasanton, California 94566
Thursday, January 12, 1995 17:47 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CESSNA 208B STRUCK A RIDGE LINE ABOUT 14 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC HE HAD THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT FROM 7,000 FEET MSL MORE THAN 30 MILES AWAY. A WEATHER REPORTING STATION LOCATED 5 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS REPORTING TWO CLOUD LAYERS; A SCATTERED LAYER AT 1,500 FEET AGL, AND A BROKEN LAYER AT 5,000 FEET AGL. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING AFTER THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR A VISUAL APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND THE GROUND IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE AT AN ELEVATION OF 1,500 FEET MSL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain visual contact with terrain and sufficient altitude for terrain clearance. Factors in the accident were the pilot's decision to initiate a descent 14 miles from the airport, and weather, specifically cloud conditions and darkness.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/12/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1747
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PLEASANTON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94566
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL ARP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OAK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 15
Degrees magnetic from airport 272
Airport Elevation 6
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1646 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 53
Weather Observation Facility ID LVK
Elevation of weather observation facility 397
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 975
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 12 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1835
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N754FE
NTSB Number LAX95FA077
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 208B
Aircraft Series Identifier 208B
Aircraft Serial Number 0249
Certified Max Gross Weight 8750
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jan 11 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 2073
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3101 TCHULAHOMA
Aircraft Owner City MEMPHIS
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38118
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEST AIR, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5005 E. ANDERSON AVE.
Operator City FRESNO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93727
Operator Code AWHA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VIS
Departure City VISALIA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1633
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OAK
Destination City OAKLAND
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 27R
Runway Length 5453
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --