Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Agua Dulce, California 91350
Saturday, October 13, 1990 13:58 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INITIAL CLIMB TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN, THE PILOT NOTICED HE WAS NOT VERY HIGH BUT SENSED NO IMMEDIATE DANGER. HE STATED HE PLANNED TO NAVIGATE THROUGH A LOWER PASS IN THE HILLS BUT NOTICED HIS RATE OF CLIMB WAS VERY LOW AND HE COULD NOT IMPROVE IT. HE STATED THE TERRAIN WAS RISING FASTER THAN HE WAS. ACCORDING TO PIPER AIRCRAFT COMPANY CALCULATIONS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED 3/4/ OF AN INCH FORWARD OF THE MAXIMUM FORWARD CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT OF THE AIRCRAFT. CALCULATIONS ESTABLISHED THAT THE TERRAIN ROSE AT A RATE OF 450 FEET PER MILE WHILE THE MAXIMUM CLIMB RATE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS 375 FEET PER MILE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM PREFLIGHT PLANNING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/13/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1358
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City AGUA DULCE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91350
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
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 Pilot
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2263
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 13 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1520
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44607
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 N5809U
NTSB Number LAX91LA009
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-1926
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KRUMM, GERALD J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4732 FAIRHOPE DR.
Aircraft Owner City FULLERTON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name R.I. FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 3241
Operator City FULLERTON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92631
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1325
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 4NW
Destination City LANCASTER
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 --