Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santee, California 92701
Friday, July 20, 1990 5:56 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE WX AT DEPARTURE WAS INDEFINITE CEILING 900 OBSCURED, VISIBILITY 2 MI IN FOG. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TO THE WEST FROM RUNWAY 27. ABOUT 1.5 MILES FROM THE RUNWAY THE WITNESSES HEARD LOUD ENGINE SOUNDS GOING EASTBOUND, THEN THE SOUNDS OF THE CRASH. THE TOWER WAS NOT OPEN AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE. THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT HAD A SURGICAL PROCEDURE PERFORMED ON HIS FOOT AND HYDROCODONE (VICODIN) WAS PRESCRIBED FOR PAIN. HYDROCODONE WAS DETECTED IN THE TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS AT A LEVEL OF 1.2 MG/KG, SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE THE THERAPUTIC DOSE LEVELS. HYDROCODONE IS AN OPIATE COMPOUND WHICH CAUSES DROWSINESS, MENTAL CLOUDING AND IMPAIRMENT OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT AS A RESULT OF PRESCIPTION MEDICINE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 556
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SANTEE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92701
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 655 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 78
Weather Observation Facility ID SEE
Elevation of weather observation facility 385
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1691
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 655
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43183
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N72035
NTSB Number LAX90FA260
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model B36TC
Aircraft Series Identifier B36TC
Aircraft Serial Number EA-430
Certified Max Gross Weight 3850
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ORLYN L. JONES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1683 HACIENDA DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City EL CAJON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92020
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ORLYN L. JONES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1683 HACIENDA DRIVE
Operator City EL CAJON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92020
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code SEE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 555
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DAG
Destination City BARSTOW
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --