Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elk Grove, California 95624
Thursday, February 22, 1996 14:05 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane struck one of three 340-foot-high radio transmission towers about 37 feet from the top. The airplane had departed the pilot's private ranch airstrip located about 1.28 nautical miles southeast of the tower minutes before the accident. The towers are depicted on the aeronautical sectional chart, and were marked as an obstruction to air navigation with alternate sections of aviation orange and aviation white paint.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to see and avoid the obstruction.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/22/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1405
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City ELK GROVE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95624
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRIVATE
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 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 310
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1351 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID SAC
Elevation of weather observation facility 21
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 538
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 22 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1445
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N75772
NTSB Number LAX96FA120
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 J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C-65
Aircraft Serial Number 13561
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 17 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PERHAM, JEFFREY E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8131 SLOUGHOUSE RD
Aircraft Owner City ELK GROVE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95624
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 1400
Departure Time Zone PST
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 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 30
Runway Length 1850
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --