Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newhall, California 91321
Sunday, January 17, 1988 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OBTAINED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH PRESENTED A WEATHER PICTURE OF MID LEVEL CLOUDS, TURBULENCE AND GOOD VISIBILITIES. FLIGHT PRECAUTIONS WERE NOTED FOR COASTAL MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT DUE TO LOW CLOUDS. RAIN SHOWERS AND LOW CEILINGS WERE FORCASTED FOR THE PERIOD ABOUT 8 HOURS AFTER ETA OF THE FLIGHT. THE ACCIDENT SITE IS AT THE SOUTHWESTERN END OF A SMALL VALLEY WHERE IT NARROWS TO A CONSTRICTED PASS WHICH IS SURROUNDED BY HIGH COASTAL HILLS. SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THAT HEAVY RAIN, LOW CLOUDS AND VISIBILITIES OF ONE HALF MILE IN FOG WERE PRESENT IN THE VALLEY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN TO FLY DOWN THE VALLEY AT ABOUT 500 FEET AGL OVER A HIGHWAY. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED AN OIL REFINERY AT THE SOUTHWESTERN END, IT WAS SEEN TO SUDDENLY TURN TO THE RIGHT JUST BEFORE THE REFINERY FLAME STACK AND COLLIDE WITH THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN RIDGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOTS DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/17/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 52
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City NEWHALL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91321
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 1
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 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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
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) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 2318
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 17 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 118
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40414
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:29AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N42450
NTSB Number LAX88FA088
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 182L
Aircraft Series Identifier 182L
Aircraft Serial Number 18259021
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 3948
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TIN STAR FLYING ASSOC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 915 E CYPRESS AVE.
Aircraft Owner City GLENDORA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91740
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TIN STAR FLYING ASSOCIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 915 E. CYPRESS AVENUE
Operator City GLENDORA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91740
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 P06
Departure City BULLHEAD CITY
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 2215
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code POC
Destination City LA VERNE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --