Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pacifica, California 94044
Sunday, August 2, 1992 18:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER DEPARTED ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AFTER AN INTERMEDIATE RE-FUELING STOP. THEY REPORTEDLY INTENDED TO DO SOME SIGHTSEEING EN ROUTE. DURING THEIR FLIGHT THEY ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND COLLIDED WITH HILLY/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. WITNESSES LOCATED ABOUT 300 YARDS FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THE TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT WAS OBSCURED BY GROUND FOG. THEY SAID THEY COULD HEAR THE AIRPLANE, BUT COULD NOT SEE IT DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE AT THE ACCIDENT LOCATION. HE NOTED THAT THE AIRPLANE'S WOODEN PROPELLER SHATTERED ON IMPACT AND DETERMINED THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT VISUAL FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PACIFICA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94044
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
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 Witness
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 50
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 2956
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47802
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4625T
NTSB Number LAX92FA330
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 MERCURY
Aircraft Model 1
Aircraft Series Identifier 1
Aircraft Serial Number 1
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL BEAULAC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1031 QUICKSILVER DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SAN JOSE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95136
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PAUL BEAULAC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1031 QUICKSILVER DRIVE
Operator City SAN JOSE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95136
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 O01
Departure City SANTA ROSA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PAO
Destination City PALO ALTO
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 10:35AM
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 --