Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Placerville, California 95667
Sunday, April 12, 1992 19:37 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING DURING WHICH HE WAS INFORMED THAT MODERATE TURBULENCE MAY BE ENCOUNTERED ALONG THE ROUTE. THE PILOT FILED AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN, RECEIVED HIS CLEARANCE AND TOOK OFF WITHOUT MISHAP. NO COMMUNICATION OR NAVIGATION DIFFICULITIES WERE REPORTED DURING THE AIRPLANE'S CLIMB TO 11,000 FEET. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PILOT LIKELY ENCOUNTERED THE FORECAST TURBULENCE. THE RADAR TRACK PLOT SHOWS THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY ON COURSE. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A RIGHT SPIRAL DESCENDING TURN. AT 19:35:58 THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 11,100 FEET. AT 19:36:53 THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 3,100 FEET AND HAD COMPLETED AT LEAST ONE 360 DEGREE TURN. PORTIONS OF THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING AND STABILATOR ASSEMBLY WERE FOUND ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF THE PILOT HAVING RECENTLY COMPLETED A BFR. DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR HE HAD LOGGED ABOUT 6.9 INSTRUMENT HOURS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WHICH ENDURED AIRFRAME LOADS THAT EXCEEDED THE AIRCRAFT'S DESIGN STRESS LIMITS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT RELATED TO THE PILOT'S ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE, AND TO HIS LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT FLYING EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/12/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1937
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PLACERVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95667
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID MHR
Elevation of weather observation facility 96
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Light
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) 2839
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47644
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2968R
NTSB Number LAX92FA172
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 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-35353
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 Jan 16 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 107
Airframe Hours 2885
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NEIL W. CLARK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1450 STABLER LN. #5
Aircraft Owner City YUBA CITY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95993
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NEIL W. CLARK
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1450 STABLER LN. #5
Operator City YUBA CITY
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95993
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 MYV
Departure City MARYSVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MMH
Destination City MAMMOTH
Destination State CA
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 --