Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Danville, California 94526
Wednesday, July 19, 1995 10:40 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT'S DEPARTURE WAS DELAYED DUE TO THE FOG AND LOW STRATUS CONDITION. THE PILOT ADVISED GROUND CONTROL THAT HE WOULD BE CRUISING AT 2,500 FEET MSL TO HIS DESTINATION. HE DEPARTED WHEN THE CEILING REACHED 1,000 FOOT OVERCAST WITH 7 MILES VISIBILITY. HE CONTACTED DEPARTURE AND REPORTED LEVEL AT 1,500 FEET. HE WAS ADVISED TO CLIMB VFR AT HIS OWN DISCRETION AND RESUME HIS OWN NAVIGATION. THE PILOT'S ROUTE OF FLIGHT CROSSED A 2,245-FOOT MOUNTAIN RANGE WHICH, ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, WAS OBSCURED WITH LOW STRATUS CLOUDS. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE RIDGELINE ABOUT 20 TO 30 FEET BELOW THE TOP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's intentional flight into known adverse weather and failure to maintain proper altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1040
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City DANVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94526
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
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 945
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID OAK
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 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 1116
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 19 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1150
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7091Q
NTSB Number LAX95LA257
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 TU206
Aircraft Series Identifier TU206
Aircraft Serial Number U206603071
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 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 Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM/CATHERINE PETERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10 GRAHAM PL.
Aircraft Owner City OAKLAND
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94619
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM R. PETERSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 OAK
Departure City OAKLAND
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1032
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PVF
Destination City PLACERVILLE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --