Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Warner Springs, California 92086
Saturday, February 20, 1993 15:37 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT RECEIVED TWO WEATHER BRIEFINGS WHICH CONTAINED AN ADVISORY OF A CURRENT AIRMET AND SIGMET. THE SIGMET FORECAST OCCASIONALLY SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 15,000 FEET, WITH LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR POTENTIAL DUE TO A STRONG LOW LEVEL WESTERLY AIR FLOW. THE AIRMET ADVISED THAT MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT AND MODERATE TURBULENCE WERE POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE AREA BELOW 15,000 FEET. IN ADDITION, A PILOT REPORT WAS PASSED ALONG TO THE PILOT FROM A BOEING 737 WHICH HAD ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND DEPARTED ALONG A ROUTE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 8,000 FEET. THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWN DRAFT, WHICH THE PILOT SAID HE COULD NOT COUNTER DESPITE APPLYING FULL POWER AND MAINTAINING BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB AIRSPEED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE DOWN DRAFT AT TIMES SHOWED A DESCENT RATE OF 1,500 FEET PER MINUTE ON THE VSI. THE FLIGHT ENTERED THE CLOUDS AT 6,000 FEET, AND, SHORTLY THEREAFTER, COLLIDED WITH TREES AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT ABOUT THE 5,500 FOOT LEVEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOTS DECISION TO ATTEMPT FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/20/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1537
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City WARNER SPRINGS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92086
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 7
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 Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 455
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 20 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1805
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52728
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5514N
NTSB Number LAX93LA129
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182R
Aircraft Series Identifier 182R
Aircraft Serial Number 18267765
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 26 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 2656
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVEN F. GOSSARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10421 JOHANNA AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City SUNLAND
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91040
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEVEN F. GOSSARD
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 10421 JOHANNA AVENUE
Operator City SUNLAND
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91040
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 CXL
Departure City CALEXICO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BUR
Destination City BURBANK
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 --