Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coulterville, California 95311
Monday, February 14, 2000 9:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During his preflight weather briefing the instrument rated pilot was advised that VFR flight was not recommended, and was given several pilot reports for overcast conditions and icing in clouds between 9,000 and 13,000 feet along his route of flight. The pilot told the briefer he had already heard the hazardous weather advisories on the transcribed weather recording. Before departure, the pilot told relatives that he planned to navigate under visual flight rules because of forecast icing in clouds, and intended to remain low to circumnavigate areas of weather. However, in the hour following takeoff, radar data showed the aircraft turning and circling as it climbed approximately on course and eventually reaching 13,700 feet (msl) in proximity of the accident site. The Safety Board Meteorologist determined that, at that location and altitude, the aircraft would likely have been in clouds and conditions favorable for supercooled large droplets (SLD) producing a moderate to severe icing environment. The radar data showed the aircraft maneuvering in the area near the accident site and descending from 13,700 feet to 11,100 feet over 7 minutes, and then descending in a left-hand turn from 11,100 feet to 4,900 feet, where radar contact was lost in 3.4 minutes. The wreckage distribution indicated that the aircraft was in straight and level flight at impact with the mountainside. Area residents reported that the mountains were obscured in low clouds with poor visibility and periods of intense rain. The pilot was wearing a nasal cannula oxygen dispensing device.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's attempted flight into known adverse weather after receiving hazardous weather advisories, which resulted in inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions while attempting to maintain VFR conditions on top. The subsequent accumulation of structural icing required an emergency descent into conditions of low cloud ceilings and obscured mountains.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/14/2000
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City COULTERVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95311
Event Date Year 2000
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 188
Weather Observation Facility ID MCE
Elevation of weather observation facility 156
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 29
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3700
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) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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) 10087
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 15 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 650
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3324R
NTSB Number LAX00FA099
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 182L
Aircraft Series Identifier 182L
Aircraft Serial Number 18258624
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6379
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C. DAVIDS
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City LONG BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90803
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 FAT
Departure City FRESNO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 832
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RBL
Destination City RED BLUFF
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 6 2001 4:02AM
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 --