Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Brackett Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
San Dimas, California 91773
Thursday, December 7, 1995 6:24 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot departed his home base in VFR conditions without filing a flight plan and did not request or receive a preflight or en route weather briefing from the FAA. While en route, he contacted Southern California TRACON (SOCAL) and requested an ILS runway 26 approach to the destination airport. SOCAL cleared the pilot for the approach and to change to an advisory frequency. There was no current weather report available at the airport because the tower was closed, but another pilot who was on the same frequency stated that the airport weather was 'zero zero.' (An automated weather observation system at the airport recorded 'zero zero' conditions near the time of the accident.) Ground witnesses heard the airplane as the pilot began a missed approach. However, the airplane collided with trees and a snack bar building about 1/4 mile northwest of the departure end of the runway. Impact occurred as the airplane was in a right turn through a heading of 345 degrees, which was the opposite direction of turn for the missed approach procedure. Toxicology test of the pilot's blood showed 1.518 mcg/ml Fenfluramine and 0.678 mcg/ml Phentermine; these are appetite suppressant drugs that are chemically related to amphetamines and have a high incidence of abuse. Neither of these drugs was approved by the FAA for use while flying aircraft. The amount of Fenfluramine in the pilot's blood was above a normal level for control of appetite.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to drugs, his resultant improper planning/decision, his failure to follow proper IFR procedures, and his failure to maintain proper altitude during a missed approach. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, and the adverse weather condition (below landing minimums).
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/7/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 624 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | SAN DIMAS |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 91773 |
| Event Date Year | 1995 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | BRACKETT AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | POC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 70 |
| Airport Elevation | 1011 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 645 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 70 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | POC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1011 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| 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 |
| 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 | 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) | 2087 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 7 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 715 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2000 4:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N37324 |
| NTSB Number | LAX96FA067 |
| 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 | 340A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 340A |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 340A0348 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5975 |
| 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 | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| 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 | HUGH J. GALLAGHER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1345 HALIFAX DR. |
| Aircraft Owner City | RIVERSIDE |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92506 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | P.O. BOX 403 |
| Operator City | BIG BEAR LAKE |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 92315 |
| 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 | L35 |
| Departure City | BIG BEAR LAKE |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 600 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | POC |
| Destination City | LA VERNE |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| 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 | 26L |
| Runway Length | 4833 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |