Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tehachapi, California 93561
Thursday, November 19, 1992 18:05 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED INTO A 7,800-FT MOUNTAIN AT THE 6,400-FT LEVEL, APRX 1 MI NORTH OF A PLANNED ROUTE. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN THE COURSE OVER 100 TIMES DURING THE PREVIOUS 6 MONTHS. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED OVER THE MOUNTAINOUS FLIGHT ROUTE. THE PILOT HAD ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS GIVEN DUAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT INSTRUCTION TO PASSENGERS DURING AIR TAXI CARGO FLIGHTS IN IMC. EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT BOTH OCCUPANTS SURVIVED THE CRASH; THE FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST WHO PERFORMED THE AUTOPSIES REPORTED THAT THE OCCUPANTS MIGHT HAVE SURVIVED IF THEY HAD BEEN PROMPTLY RESCUED. AN ELT SIGNAL WAS FIRST HEARD AT 1815. AT 1900 THE FAA RCVD A TELEPHONE CALL FROM A CONCERNED RELATIVE OF THE PILOT. AT 1956 A NAVY PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD PICKED UP A MAYDAY CALL. THE RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER AT SCOTT AFB OPENED THE INCIDENT CASE FOR THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF NOTIFICATION FROM THE FAA AT 2001. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE FOLLOWING DAY AT 1735.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CRUISE AT AN ALTITUDE INADEQUATE TO ENSURE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, THE DARK NIGHT, AND LIKELY INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/19/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1805
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City TEHACHAPI
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93561
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 11
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 1746 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 117
Weather Observation Facility ID WJF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2347
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 971
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 19 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2125
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52254
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N737WZ
NTSB Number LAX93FA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17269743
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 16 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 5956
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DESMOND E. MC CARTHY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 38527 DESERT VIEW DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City PALMDALE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93551
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4555 W. AVENUE G
Operator City LANCASTER
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93536
Operator Code ABJA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code WJF
Departure City LANCASTER
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1725
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BFL
Destination City BAKERSFIELD
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 10:30AM
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 --