Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Colusa, California 95932
Sunday, May 7, 1995 12:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A FLOODED RICE FIELD. HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE ONLY FLIES ABOUT SIX TIMES A YEAR AND THAT HE WAS SIMPLY NOT ACCUSTOMED TO FLYING AT SUCH A LOW ALTITUDE AND HAD INADERTENTLY FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE GLASSY WATER OF THE FLOODED FIELD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's selection of an inadequate en route cruise altitude for the aerial observation flight, and his failure to identify and stop an inadvertent descent while flying over flooded terrain at a very low altitude. Lack of pilot experience in low level operations and glassy water were factors in this accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City COLUSA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95932
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1147 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID MYV
Elevation of weather observation facility 62
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 686
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 7 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7358T
NTSB Number LAX95LA181
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172A
Aircraft Series Identifier 172A
Aircraft Serial Number 46958
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EAST COLUSA FARMS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 868
Aircraft Owner City COLUSA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95932
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code O08
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --