Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kyburz, California 95720
Friday, February 15, 1991 18:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT TOOK OFF ON A NIGHT FLIGHT TO RETURN TO HIS HOME UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WITHOUT OBTAINING A WEATHER BRIEFING OR FILING A FLIGHT PLAN. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED ALONG THE ROUTE AT THE TIME. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION THE PILOT'S FAMILY REPORTED HIM OVERDUE. AN AERIAL SEARCH ALONG THE AIRCRAFT'S ASSUMED FLIGHT ROUTE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL UNTIL AN NTAP OF THE AIRCRAFT'S RADAR TRACK WAS OBTAINED FROM FAA'S AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER. THE SEARCH AIRCRAFT, USING THE NTAP AS A GUIDE, FOUND THE AIRCRAFT'S WRECKAGE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT THE END OF THE RADAR PLOT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT HIS VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL BY BECOMING SPATIAL DISORIENTED. THE LOW CEILINGS AND THE DARK NIGHT THAT EXISTED IN THE AREA WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/15/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1850
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City KYBURZ
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95720
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 2
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 1851 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID TVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 6264
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5000
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1663
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45482
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:22AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9448Y
NTSB Number LAX91FA108
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model T210N
Aircraft Series Identifier T210N
Aircraft Serial Number 21064510
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTH TAHOE CONST. CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2292 TUCKER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City HOODRIVER
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97031
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOUTH TAHOE CONST. CO.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2292 TUCKER ROAD
Operator City HOODRIVER
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97031
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 PVF
Departure City PLACERVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 043
Destination City YERINGTON
Destination State NV
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 --