Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Redding, California 96003
Sunday, March 15, 1992 20:28 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TWO INSTRUMENT RATED PILOTS DEPARTED FOR A NIGHT IFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT INTO FORCAST ICING CONDITIONS IN A CARBURATED MOONEY M20C. THE PILOTS RECEIVED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS IN WHICH THEY WERE ADVISED OF LIGHT TO MODERATE MIXED ICING CONDITIONS FROM THE 6,000 FOOT FREEZING LEVEL TO 18,000. THE OWNER PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT HELD A COMMERCIAL AND INSTRUCTORS CERTIFICATE FOR SINGLE ENGINE LAND AIRPLANES. THE LEFT SEAT PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOTS CERTIFICATE FOR SINGLE ENGINE LAND. THEY WERE CRUISING AT 12,000 FEET. THEY REPORTED EXPERIENCING LIGHT RIME ICING CONDITIONS IN A RADIO EXCHANGE TO FSS. THE PILOT REQUESTED A CLIMB TO 14,000 FEET, AND, DURING THE CLIMB, REQUESTED A DESCENT BACK TO 12,000 FEET. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE STATED THAT HE HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TOWARD THE TWO AIRPORTS IN REDDING. TEN MINUTES INTO THE EMERGENCY DESCENT THE PILOT STATED THAT THEY WERE STILL IMC BUT 'THE ICINGS MELTED OFF.' DURING THE DESCENT THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD NO ENGINE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES ABOUT 1.6 MILES FROM THE BENTON REDDING AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT APPROVED FOR FLIGHT IN KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR AND AIR FILTER ICING, AND, THE PILOTS DECISION TO ATTEMPT FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER/ICING CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2028
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City REDDING
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96003
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 3
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID RDD
Elevation of weather observation facility 502
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2900
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 2728
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47636
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7850V
NTSB Number LAX92FA141
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 2813
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Mar 3 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BROWN, STEPHEN F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 708 UPLANDS DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City MT. VERNON
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98273
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BROWN, STEPHEN F.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 708 UPLANDS DRIVE
Operator City MT. VERNON
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98273
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 OAK
Departure City OAKLAND
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RNT
Destination City RENTON
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --