Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carmel Valley, California 93924
Saturday, March 2, 1991 12:56 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND A NON-CERTIFICATED PASSENGER, BOTH CO-OWNERS OF THE AIRPLANE, DEPARTED THE AIRPORT WITH THE PASSENGER AT THE CONTROLS. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE, GUSTY WINDS AND WIND SHEAR AND WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB OVER ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND BEGAN MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID RISING TERRAIN AND ATTEMPTED TO GAIN OROGRAPHIC LIFT FROM SURROUNDING HILLS. WITH THE STALL WARNING SOUNDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE ON A RIDGE LINE ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED THROUGH SEVERAL OTHER TREES AND WAS DESTROYED. A SIGMET WAS IN EFFECT FOR LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PIC TO SUPERVISE A NON-CERTIFICATED PILOT AND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WITH SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH TREES. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PIC TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING AND ASSESS HAZARDOUS WIND CONDITIONS AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE PILOT'S ABILITY TO DEAL WITH THE WEATHER AND AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE ISSUES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/2/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1256
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CARMEL VALLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93924
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1246 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID MRY
Elevation of weather observation facility 253
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 214
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43297
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3846X
NTSB Number LAX91LA118
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 Beech
Aircraft Model BE-77
Aircraft Series Identifier BE-77
Aircraft Serial Number WA-243
Certified Max Gross Weight 1675
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 10 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 92
Airframe Hours 2445
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BURFORD A. CARLSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 82 POPPY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CARMEL VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93924
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BURFORD A. CARLSON
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 82 POPPY ROAD
Operator City CARMEL VALLEY
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93924
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 062
Departure City CARMEL VALLEY
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1253
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SNS
Destination City SALINAS
Destination State CA
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 --