Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Paula, California 93060
Saturday, May 7, 1988 12:14 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER TOOK OFF ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WITHOUT OBTAINING A WEATHER BRIEFING OR FILING A FLIGHT PLAN. THE CLOUD LEVELS AT THE AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE WERE REPORTED AS SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 2,500 FEET AND BROKEN CLOUDS AT 10,000 FEET. A RADAR PLOT OF THE AIRCRAFT'S TRACK AFTER TAKEOFF SHOWS THAT IT TURNED ONTO COURSE WHILE CLIMBING. IT MADE A 360 DEGREE CLIMBING TURN THROUGH 4,500-5,000 FEET AND CONTINUED CLIMBING TOWARDS ITS DESTINATION. AS THE AIRCRAFT REACHED 9,500 FEET IT ENTERED A SPIRALING DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT'S WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ON A MOUNTAIN TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED AT WHICH THE AIRCRAFT IS CONTROLLABLE AND ABOVE THE STALL SPEED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1214
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SANTA PAULA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93060
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 5
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID OXR
Elevation of weather observation facility 43
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2355
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 20 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1350
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39069
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3322V
NTSB Number LAX88FA192
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 35
Aircraft Series Identifier 35
Aircraft Serial Number D783
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 20 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MORTON, FRANCIS & RUTH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3804 W HEMLOCK ST
Aircraft Owner City OXNARD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93030
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MORTON, FRANCIS W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3804 W. HEMLOCK ST
Operator City OXNARD
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93035
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 OXR
Departure City OXNARD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City PORTERVILLE
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --