Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Topanga, California 90290
Thursday, June 12, 1997 12:12 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The noninstrument-rated pilot was familiar with the Los Angeles basin area. The weather was overcast with tops reported in excess of 5,600 feet. The pilot was receiving radar flight following service as he descended in a southerly direction toward his destination, and he informed the controller that he was 'looking for a hole.' The pilot then requested a special VFR clearance through the clouds; a request which was denied by the controller. Upon reaching 6,000 feet, he headed toward the ocean, informed the controller that he observed a 'little hole,' and requested that the controller monitor his progress 'in case I do have to go in.' The controller advised the pilot to maintain VFR. The pilot continued descending and reported that it was hazy, he was still VFR, and he thought he could make it. At 1211:47, the controller informed the pilot that he would be losing radar coverage because the airplane was descending below the mountain range. The pilot acknowledged the transmission at 1211:55. Radar data indicated at the time the airplane was descending through about 2,700 feet; its ground speed was 163 knots; and it was tracking 103 degrees toward the airport. Thirteen seconds later radar contact was lost. The airplane impacted the mountainside at 2440 feet, on a 101-degree bearing and 10 miles from Santa Monica, in a nearly level, 20-degree banked turn. A patrolling sheriff's officer indicated that at the time clouds obscured the mountainside.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain proper VFR altitude over mountainous terrain obscured by clouds, and his intentional descent into instrument meteorological weather conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/12/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1212 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | TOPANGA |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 90290 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| 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 | Full |
| 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 | 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) | -- |
| 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) | 1495 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 13 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1459 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8276M |
| NTSB Number | LAX97FA210 |
| 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 | 210K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 210K |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 21059276 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3800 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 27 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2300 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | FRANK CAVALE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1300 W. MAIN STREET |
| Aircraft Owner City | VISALIA |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 93291 |
| 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 3084 |
| Operator City | VISALIA |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 93278 |
| 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 | VIS |
| Departure City | VISALIA |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1110 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SMO |
| Destination City | SANTA MONICA |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| 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 | -- |