Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Placerville, California 95667
Friday, August 24, 1990 21:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGERS WERE TO MEET ANOTHER AIRCRAFT AT A PREPLANNED AIRPORT, WHERE THEY TO BE PICKED UP BY A TOUR CONCESSIONEER AT 2100 HOURS FOR A CAMPOUT PRIOR TO A RIVER RAFTING TRIP. AT 2110 HOURS THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AFTER MAKING A LANDING ATTEMPT AT ANOTHER AIRPORT 13 MILES BEYOND THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. BOTH AIRPORTS WERE LOCATED ON THE SAME VOR RADIAL, 13 MILES APART. THE MISTAKEN AIRPORT WAS 1300 FEET HIGHER IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PILOT IN COMMAND HAD A MEDICAL RESTRICTION AGAINST NIGHT FLIGHT. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER WAS NOT QUALIFIED IN THE AIRCRAFT NOR WAS HE NIGHT CURRENT. THE OFFICIAL SUNSET WAS AT 1950 HOURS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S MISIDENTIFICATION OF THE AIRPORT AND HIS FAILURE TO SELECT AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S DISREGARD FOR HIS NIGHT TIME MEDICAL LIMITATION AND LACK OF GEOGRAPHIC FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2110
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PLACERVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95667
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2055 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 224
Weather Observation Facility ID MHR
Elevation of weather observation facility 96
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2239
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44586
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 N6985B
NTSB Number LAX90FA300
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 T-210-M
Aircraft Series Identifier T-210-M
Aircraft Serial Number 21062864
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MURRAY, TIMOTHY J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 700 W. HUNTINGTON DR. #200
Aircraft Owner City ARCADIA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91006
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MURPHY, TIMOTHY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 700 W. HUNTINGTON DR. STE. 200
Operator City ARCADIA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91006
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EMT
Departure City EL MONTE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1731
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 061
Destination City CAMERON PARK
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --