Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Arcata Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kneeland, California 95549
Wednesday, November 8, 1995 17:48 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During arrival after nightfall, the pilot was provided vectors for an ILS Runway 32 Approach to Arcata, CA. He was instructed to intercept the localizer at or above 6,000 feet, then he was cleared for the approach. Radar contact with the airplane was lost about 22 miles from the airport. Subsequently, the airplane crashed on mountainous terrain at an elevation of about 2200 feet. During investigation, radar data showed that the airplane was inbound on the ILS approach, slightly left of the localizer centerline. After about 1 minute, it began a uniform left turn of about 30 degrees, followed immediately by an equally uniform right turn. The radius of the right turn began to decrease until the aircraft disappeared from radar after about 270 degrees of turn. The wreckage was found in proximity of the last radar return. No preimpact mechanical failure was noted during examination of the wreckage, although the airplane was destroyed during impact. Another person, who had flown with the pilot as he practiced instrument flight procedures, noted that on occasions, the pilot turned the wrong way; and at times, also gave the impression of having difficulty in maintaining aircraft control.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
failure of the pilot to correct a descending spiral and perform a missed approach, after becoming spatially disoriented and deviating from the planned ILS approach procedure. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, and the pilot's excessive maneuvering of the airplane, while on the ILS approach.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/8/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1748 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | KNEELAND |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 95549 |
| Event Date Year | 1995 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | ARCATA |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ACV |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 25 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 136 |
| Airport Elevation | 218 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1750 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 316 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ACV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 218 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 500 |
| 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) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 2100 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 8 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1900 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2000 4:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8920M |
| NTSB Number | LAX96FA042 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | S35 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | S35 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | D7323 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3500 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 54 |
| Airframe Hours | 3331 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ELMER G. HASKIN, JR. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 201 SWAZEY COURT |
| Aircraft Owner City | ROSEVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 95747 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | OAK |
| Departure City | OAKLAND |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1630 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ACV |
| Destination City | ARCATA |
| 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 | 32 |
| Runway Length | 5998 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |