Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fallon, Nevada 89406
Tuesady, November 30, 1993 6:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMPANY HOLDS A VFR ONLY 135 CERTIFICATE AND PERFORMS DAILY FLIGHTS TAKING WORKERS TO A MINE. BEFORE THE FLIGHT, NO WEATHER WAS OBTAINED FROM THE NWS OR FAA. THE WEATHER WAS CHECKED BY A CALL TO THE MINE AND BY LOOKING OUTSIDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ONE OF THREE WHICH DEPARTED ON THE OUTBOUND AM TRIP. PILOTS OF THE OTHER TWO AIRCRAFT SAID THEY FOUND CEILINGS, MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT, AND SNOW SHOWERS EN ROUTE; THEY TURNED BACK, FLEW SOUTH ALONG THE MOUNTAINS, AND FOUND A CLEAR AREA TO CROSS. FOUR PASSENGERS FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT SAID THEY ENCOUNTERED LOWERING CLOUDS AND SNOW SHOWERS. THE PILOT TURNED AROUND, FLEW SOUTH FOR A WHILE, THEN TOWARD A MOUNTAIN RANGE SADDLE. AS THEY ENTERED THE SADDLE, THE CLOUDS BECAME LOWER AND THEY COULD NOT SEE OUTSIDE. THE PILOT TRIED TO CLIMB, BUT WHEN TREES BEGAN FLASHING PAST THE SIDE WINDOWS, HE PULLED THE POWER OFF AND LEVELED THE WINGS JUST BEFORE COLLIDING WITH TREES AND THE SNOW-COVERED MOUNTAINSIDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's intentional continued flight into known adverse weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/30/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 645
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City FALLON
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89406
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 11
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 700 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID NFL
Elevation of weather observation facility 3934
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1760
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 30 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 804
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4081W
NTSB Number LAX94LA062
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-40127
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 18 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 2440
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEONARD WIGHT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11905 FITZ LANE
Aircraft Owner City FALLON
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89406
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FALLON AEROMOTIVE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1500 RIO VISTA
Operator City FALLON
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89406
Operator Code XFLA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FLX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 615
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NV30
Destination City DIXIE VALLEY
Destination State NV
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 --