Nape Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yountville, California 94599
Tuesady, February 27, 1990 11:55 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PLT CALLED FLT SERVICE A DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN IFR BRIEFING FOR THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE WX BRIEFER PROVIDED THE PLT WITH THE BRIEFING WHICH CONSISTED OF IFR CONDITIONS AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AREA WHICH INCLUDED THE ACCIDENT SITE. GND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MANEUVERING IN THE ACCIDENT AREA BEFORE IT ENTERED INTO THE 500 FT CEILING STRATUS CLOUDS. THE PREVAILING VISIBILITY WAS LESS THAN 1 MILE. THE ENGINE SOUND INCREASED RAPIDLY WHEN THE AIRPLANE ENTERED THE CLOUDS ABT 2 SECONDS BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH THE SIDE OF THE HILL. THE ACFT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT IT STRUCK THE HILLSIDE IN A LEVEL FLT ATTITUDE; THE PROPELLER BLADES AND HUB ASSY SHOWED DAMAGE CHARACTERISTICS CONSISTENT WITH HIGH POWER BEING DEVELOPED AT IMPACT. NO PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS AND/OR FAILURES WERE NOTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT USED POOR JUDGEMENT BY ATTEMPTING A V.F.R. FLIGHT TO AN AREA WITH FORECASTED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND CONTINUING THE FLIGHT WHEN I.F.R. CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/27/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1155
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City YOUNTVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94599
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 NAPE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID APC
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 33
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 500
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
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) 0
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) 931
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 27 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42102
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8359H
NTSB Number LAX90FA106
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA28-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA28-201T
Aircraft Serial Number 28R8131100
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Aug 21 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 649
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN E. JANSHESKI
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7 KNOLL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MILL VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94941
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FRASER, ROBERT G.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 3328
Operator City SUNRIVER
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97707
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S21
Departure City SUNRIVER
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 845
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CA35
Destination City SAN RAFAEL
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 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --