Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gabbs, Nevada 89409
Wednesday, July 23, 1997 8:25 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument rated pilot departed California on a business flight to a South Dakota destination. No flight plan was filed. Radar flight following service was terminated as the pilot approached the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and there were no further radar contacts or voice communications with the pilot. The pilot did not request any en route weather briefings from FAA flight service stations, and his route of flight over the mountains to the accident site was not determined. Instrument meteorological conditions including multiple cloud layers and rain showers existed in the vicinity of the accident site. Additionally, between 0830 and 0900, National Climatic Data Center visible and infrared spectrum satellite imagery revealed an area of rapidly developing cumulonimbus clouds at the site. On May 18, 1998, the wreckage was located scattered over a distance of 0.64 miles, about 26 miles south of the pilot's intended direct route of flight. The engine, wings, flaps, ailerons, elevators and empennage were found separated from the fuselage, along with a handheld GPS receiver. Acquaintances of the pilot reported he kept accurate flight records. The pilot's logbook contained several 'pilot-in-command' entries indicating that cross-country business flights had been performed in actual instrument weather conditions while navigating using a GPS receiver. No safety pilot or CFI was listed as accompanying the pilot during these flights. About 1.5 days prior to the accident the pilot was treated for a periodontal infection. An antibiotic and narcotic pain reliever was prescribed, and partially empty containers of these drugs were found in the wreckage. Insufficient specimens remained to perform an autopsy or toxicological tests.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's attempted visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions which resulted in his spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control. A contributing factor was his overconfidence in his personal ability.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/23/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 825 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | GABBS |
| Event State | NEVADA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 89409 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 850 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 121 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TPH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5426 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 38 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| 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) | 1879 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 28 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1000 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2429T |
| NTSB Number | LAX97FA334 |
| 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 | Navion |
| Aircraft Model | G |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | G |
| Aircraft Serial Number | NAV-4-2429 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3315 |
| 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 | Jun 18 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 62 |
| Airframe Hours | 3500 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | FRANK M. COLLINS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4210 MONTEREY HWY, SPACE #8 |
| Aircraft Owner City | SAN JOSE |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 95111 |
| 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 18040 |
| Operator City | SAN JOSE |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 95158 |
| 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) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | RHV |
| Departure City | SAN JOSE |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 655 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ENV |
| Destination City | WENDOVER |
| Destination State | UT |
| 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 | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |