Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lytle Creek, California 92358
Sunday, June 7, 1998 18:05 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The non-instrument rated pilot contacted approach control while returning from a cross-country flight and requested a VFR descent, which was approved. The descent area was over mountainous terrain obscured in clouds. During the last radio contact with the pilot, he reported he was descending out of 5,300 feet msl. The wreckage was located at 5,250 feet msl. Pilot reports confirmed the obscuration of the mountain pass where the accident occurred.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's intentional VFR descent into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in a collision with mountainous terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/7/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1805
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LYTLE CREEK
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92358
Event Date Year 1998
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1845 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 226
Weather Observation Facility ID POC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1000
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2400
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) 40
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 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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1726
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 7 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N16344
NTSB Number LAX98FA189
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 PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7335131
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 18 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 8564
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LAPIN, ARI DAVID
Aircraft Owner Street Address 780 OAKCREST AVE.
Aircraft Owner City BREA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92621
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR DESERT PACIFIC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1889 MCKINLEY WAY
Operator City LA VERNE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91750
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LAS
Departure City LAS VEGAS
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code POC
Destination City LA VERNE
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 10:30AM
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 --