Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Claremont, California 91786
Saturday, April 4, 1992 23:31 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE RECENTLY CERTIFICATED 120 HOUR PRIVATE PILOT RENTED AN AIRCRAFT FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT AND FAILED TO RETURN WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED THE NEXT MORNING IN THE NEARBY MOUNTAINS. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER HAD FLOWN OUT OF STATE TO A RESORT AREA FOR THE DAY. NO RECORD WAS FOUND THAT THE PILOT OBTAINED EITHER PREFLIGHT OR INFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFINGS. DURING THE NIGHT RETURN FLIGHT THE PILOT BECAME LOST AND LANDED TWICE AT DIFFERENT AIRPORTS TO GET REORIENTED. THE SECOND LANDING WAS AT A RESTRICTED MILITARY BASE. AFTER DEPARTING THE MILITARY BASE HE ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH APPROACH CONTROL FOR ASSISTANCE TO HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT WHICH WAS BENEATH AN OVERCAST. HE DECLARED THAT HIS FUEL STATUS WAS CRITICAL AND HE WAS RELUCTANT TO RETURN TO A HIGH DESERT AREA KNOWN TO BE VFR. APPROACH CONTROL PROVIDED VECTORS AS REQUESTED TO THE AREA OF HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED AGAIN AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO CLOUDS. THE APPROACH CONTROLLER ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR THE FLIGHT AWAY FROM HIGH TERRAIN HOWEVER THE PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY FLYING THE HEADINGS PROVIDED BY THE CONTROLLER AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOTS IMPROPER PREFLIGHT AND INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISIONS, HIS CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO INITIATE TIMELY REMEDIAL ACTIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/4/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2331
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CLAREMONT
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91786
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 4
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 Unknown
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 Night/Dark
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
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) 0
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2245
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 5 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 640
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47016
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1333E
NTSB Number LAX92FA164
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17270960
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 24 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 76
Airframe Hours 3389
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT Y. CABLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 992 WESTRIDGE CT.
Aircraft Owner City UPLAND
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91786
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CABLEAIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address W. 13 TH. AND BENSON
Operator City UPLAND
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91786
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 VCV
Departure City VICTORVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2230
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CCB
Destination City UPLAND
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --