Shadow Mountain Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Caliente, California 93518
Saturday, September 21, 1996 15:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The noncertificated dual student made a business trip with friends to a destination with a dirt airstrip. He retained a flight instructor (CFI) to provide instruction in the airplane along the route. During arrival, the CFI took control of the airplane and maneuvered to land on the east/west runway. The wind was reportedly from 290 degrees at 5 gusting 10 knots. A ground witness observed the airplane make a downwind low approach. A passenger said that the instructor circled the area to alert the student pilot's friends. The airplane was then observed to reenter the traffic pattern and land downwind. The airplane's speed was excessive and a go-around was initiated. The airplane disappeared from the ground witness' view. After the aborted landing, the airplane entered a box canyon area. Reportedly, the instructor initiated a turn between 90 and 110 degrees, and the stall warning buzzer sounded. The airplane then struck trees and crashed in a nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airplane disclosed no evidence of a preimpact malfunction or failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

improper in-flight planning/decision by the flight instructor (CFI) by allowing the airplane to flying into a box canyon area, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with wooded terrain. The CFI's selection of the wrong runway and the resultant tailwind were related factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/21/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CALIENTE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93518
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SHADOW MOUNTAIN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID A2CL
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 65
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1230
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 21 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1641
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2393W
NTSB Number LAX96FA340
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8590068
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 2 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 2456
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARK R. EISMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 291 S. LACIENEGA BLVD
Aircraft Owner City BEVERLY HILLS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90211
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BURBANK FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3000 N. CLYBOURN
Operator City BURBANK
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91505
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BUR
Departure City BURBANK
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1435
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --