Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Herlong, California 96113
Thursday, December 31, 1992 15:36 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND FLIGHT NURSE WERE EN ROUTE TO PICK UP A MEDICAL PATIENT. THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP WHILE FLYING BY THE LEEWARD SIDE OF THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS IN THE GENERAL AREA WHERE STANDING LENTICULAR CLOUDS HAD BEEN OBSERVED. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND THAT THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM FLIGHT SERVICE OR THE DUAT VENDORS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. PILOTS FLYING IN THE GENERAL AREA HAD REPORTED AIRSPEED VARIANCES FROM PLUS 60 TO MINUS 40 KTS. AN IN-FLIGHT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR OCCASIONAL MODERATE TURBULENCE WAS IN EFFECT. ABOUT ONE HOUR AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A SIGMET FOR SEVERE TURBULENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH SEVERE TURBULENCE WHICH EXCEEDED THE DESIGN STRENGTH OF THE AIRPLANE'S STRUCTURE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/31/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1536
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City HERLONG
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96113
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
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 0
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
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) 967
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 31 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1759
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52060
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N300CP
NTSB Number LAX93FA086
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Rockwell
Aircraft Model 690B
Aircraft Series Identifier 690B
Aircraft Serial Number 11374
Certified Max Gross Weight 10325
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 3
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 12 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4052
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRS SERVICES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 450 E. SIXTH STREET
Aircraft Owner City RENO
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89512
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MEDIC AIR, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 659 S. ROCK BLVD.
Operator City RENO
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89502
Operator Code MCIA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RNO
Departure City RENO
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1523
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SVE
Destination City SUSANVILLE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --