Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Galt, California 95632
Sunday, February 18, 1990 11:26 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH INDICATED THAT VFR FLYING ALONG HIS PROPOSED SOUTHBOUND ROUTE OF FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE PILOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN AND DEPARTED. AS THE PILOT FLEW SOUTHBOUND HE WAS OBSERVED BELOW THE BASE OF CLOUDS WHICH WAS AT 500 FEET AGL. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED GROUND FOG WHICH REDUCED HIS VISIBILITY. A GROUND-BASED WITNESS REPORTED THAT HIS VISIBILITY AT THE CRASH SITE WAS 1/4 MILE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW AND RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FLEW INTO INSTRUMENT CONDITION, BECAUSE SPATIALLY DISORIENTATED AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. FACTOR WAS FOGGY WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/18/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1126
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City GALT
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95632
Event Date Year 1990
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 Obscured
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) 5
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 Not Gusting
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) 1449
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 18 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42759
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4093N
NTSB Number LAX90FA092
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number 680173
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Jul 2 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name T.R. BENNETT & W.A. SCHMIDT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 32029 LIVE OAK CYN RD.
Aircraft Owner City REDLANDS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92373
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 SAC
Departure City SACRAMENTO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1112
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BFL
Destination City BAKERSFIELD
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --