Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salinas, California 93905
Friday, May 18, 1990 12:48 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND HIS CREWMEMBER CONDUCTED A PRE-RACE FLIGHT CHECK OF HIS PROPOSED VFR RACE ROUTE THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ON THE DAY OF THE RACE THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ALONG HIS ROUTE. HE ADHERED TO HIS ORIGINAL FLIGHT ROUTE AND AFTER CLEARING THE HIGHER TERRAIN BEGAN HIS DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT, UP SLOPE WING, IMPACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT TUMBLED TO A STOP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING VISUAL FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. SELF INDUCED PRESSURE TO ADHERE TO THE PROPOSED FLIGHT ROUTE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/18/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1248
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SALINAS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93905
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1250 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 231
Weather Observation Facility ID SNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 84
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
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) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1655
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 19 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42904
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9993G
NTSB Number LAX90FA180
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17273640
Certified Max Gross Weight 2220
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 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CALIFORNIA AIRWAYS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1164 WEST A STREET
Operator City HAYWARD
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94541
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HWD
Departure City HAYWARD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1138
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BFL
Destination City BAKESFIELD
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 --