Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Monterey Park, California 91754
Saturday, March 2, 1991 18:55 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT UNEXPLAINABLY QUIT WORK AND LEFT HOME TEN DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. SEVEN DAYS LATER THE PILOT RETURNED HOME AND LEFT A SUICIDE NOTE. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT POLICE OFFICERS QUESTIONED THE PILOT AND HE STATED HE LEFT THE SUICIDE NOTE TO GET REVENGE ON HIS WIFE. THE OFFICERS DID NOT DETAIN THE PILOT. THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT IN HIS AIRPLANE AND FLEW FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES. WITNESSES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE CIRCLED THE AREA AND EXECUTED AT LEAST ONE DIVING, PULL UP MANEUVER. AFTER COMPLETING THAT MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE ENTERED INTO A STRAIGHT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND CRASHED INTO THE HOUSE. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL WHILE CIRCLING THE AREA. DURING THE DESCENT THE ENGINE SOUND INCREASED TO A HIGH PITCHED WHINE UNTIL IMPACT. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WHICH WOULD HAVE RENDERED THE AIRPLANE INCAPABLE OF OPERATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

SUICIDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/2/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1855
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City MONTEREY PARK
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91754
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 3
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 Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1618
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45272
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:31AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5290T
NTSB Number LAX91FA116
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7235217
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 28 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 3179
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALEXIADIS/MILTIADIS/ATHANASIA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 44108 COUNTRYSIDE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City LANCASTER
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GUNNELL AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3100 DONALD DOUGLAS LOOP
Operator City SANTA MONICA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90405
Operator Code HIEA
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SMO
Departure City SANTA MONICA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1350
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --