Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cucamonga, California 91710
Wednesday, May 6, 1992 19:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT 40 MI EAST OF HIS DESTINATION, THE PILOT CALLED ONTARIO APPROACH FOR FLIGHT FOLLOWING THROUGH THE ONTARIO ARSA. HE WAS ASKED IF HE HAD THE CURRENT WEATHER FOR HIS DESTINATION, TO WHICH HE ANSWERED NO. HE WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS VFR WITH 3 MI VISIBILITY IN HAZE. THE PILOT REQUESTED THE CEILING IN THE L.A. BASIN, AND WAS ADVISED THAT LA VERNE WAS MEASURED 2,300 OVERCAST. TWICE DURING RADIO EXCHANGES WITH CONTROLLERS, THE PILOT GAVE ALTITUDES WHICH WERE OFF BY 1,000 FT OR MORE. HE ATTEMPTED TWICE TO DESCEND THROUGH A HOLE IN THE OVERCAST WITHOUT SUCCESS. HE THEN ADVISED CONTROLLERS THAT HE WOULD REVERSE COURSE BACK TO BANNING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER HE REVERSED HIS COURSE BACK TOWARD LA VERNE. ABOUT 6 MIN LATER RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS NORTHEAST OF HIS DESTINATION. ABOUT 20 SEC BEFORE CONTACT WAS LOST THE PILOT RADIOED 'ITS GETTING PRETTY THICK UP HERE.' THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT 3100 FT MSL. TOXICOLOGICAL RESULTS WERE POSITIVE FOR METHAMPHETAMINE (0.50 MG/L BLOOD), AMPHETAMINE, AND DIPHENHYDRAMINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, HIS PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT DUE TO DRUGS, AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CUCAMONGA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91710
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1846 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 41
Weather Observation Facility ID POC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1011
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2731
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 6 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1940
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47517
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1054H
NTSB Number LAX92FA204
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7790282
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Apr 23 1992 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 LAPIN,ARI.D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1805 MCKINLEY WAY
Aircraft Owner City LA VERNE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91750
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR DESERT PACIFIC INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1805 MC KINLEY WAY
Operator City LA VERNE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91750
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 UDD
Departure City BERMUDA DUNES
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code POC
Destination City LA VERNE
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 10:35AM
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 --