Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jamestown, California 95327
Saturday, February 11, 1995 12:55 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE DAY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON A HIGHWAY DUE TO A LOW FUEL STATE. THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT, HE BOUGHT 10 GALLONS OF FUEL AND WAS GOING TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO A NEARBY AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICERS ON THE SITE, WHEN THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM THE HIGHWAY, THE PREVAILING VISIBILITY OF LESS THAN 1,500 FEET. THE PILOT CIRCLED THE ACCIDENT AREA TWO TIMES BEFORE HE CRASHED ABOUT 0.3 MILE WEST OF THE DEPARTURE AREA. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THE ENGINE SOUND ABRUPTLY CUT-OUT FOR ABOUT TWO SECONDS AND THEN WENT TO A HIGH- POWER ENGINE SOUND. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ABOUT 100 FEET NORTH OF SOME TELEPHONE WIRES. THE POSTACCIDENT WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED EVIDENCE OF HIGH POWER AT IMPACT AND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's intentional flight into IMC conditions and subsequent in-flight loss of control due to spatial disorientation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/11/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1255
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City JAMESTOWN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95327
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 2
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 8
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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) 217
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 11 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CFCNW
NTSB Number LAX95FA103
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-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-4685
Certified Max Gross Weight 2399
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign 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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 16 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 61
Airframe Hours 1673
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORMAN F. MILLAR
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 817
Aircraft Owner City SASK, CANADA
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1144
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code O22
Destination City COLUMBIA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
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 --