Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ukiah, California 95482
Sunday, April 3, 1988 11:59 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT ENCOUNTERED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION & LOST CONTROL OF HIS ACFT DURING CLIMB WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE COURSE IN COMPLIANCE WITH AN ATC CLEARANCE. IMC EXISTED & THE ACFT ACCELERATED TO ABOVE ITS MANEUVERING SPEED. WHEN THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER THE LEFT WING BROKE UNDER POSITIVE AIR LOADS AT MID-SPAN (OUTBOARD OF THE EXTRUDED SPAR). NO LOG BOOK RECORD WAS FOUND INDICATING THAT THE PLT HAD FLOWN UNDER IFR CONDITIONS IN AT LEAST 6 MONTHS. THERAPEUTIC LEVELS OF DIAZEPAM WERE FOUND IN THE PLT'S LIVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT IFR EXPERIENCE, SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND HIS FAILURE TO PERFORM REMEDIAL ACTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1159
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City UKIAH
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95482
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
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 1155 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 163
Weather Observation Facility ID UKI
Elevation of weather observation facility 614
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 2408
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 3 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1240
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39204
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15847
NTSB Number LAX88FA150
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7305161
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Apr 13 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 2380
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT & LILLIAN BECK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 340 HILLVIEW AVE.
Aircraft Owner City UKIAH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95482
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Airport Code UKI
Departure City UKIAH
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1153
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code O01
Destination City SANTA ROSA
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 --