Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ocotillo, California 92259
Wednesday, May 11, 1988 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED ON MAY 11, 1988, WHILE ON A PRESUMED LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT. FOUR INDIVIDUALS WERE SEEN TO BOARD THE AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING THE OWNER. ONLY TWO PERSONS COULD BE IDENTIFIED ON THE BASIS OF FRAGMENTARY REMAINS AT THE SITE, NEITHER OF WHICH WAS THE AIRCRAFT OWNER. THE PARTIALLY BURIED AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND IN A DESERT DRY WASH ON OCT 16, 1988, NO GROUND SCARS WERE FOUND IN THE WASH WHERE HEAVY WATER ACTIVITY WAS PRESENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALMOST TOTALLY CONSUMED BY FIRE. NO PREIMACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE IDENTIFIED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/11/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City OCOTILLO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92259
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID NXP
Elevation of weather observation facility 43
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 39
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 3000
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) 2368
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 17 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39082
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8875A
NTSB Number LAX88FA331
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 B-35
Aircraft Series Identifier B-35
Aircraft Serial Number D-2530
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Jun 12 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 3837
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETERS, TERRY R.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3015 VIEJAS VIEW PLACE
Aircraft Owner City ALPINE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92001
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code L54
Departure City AGUA CALIENTE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code L54
Destination City
Destination State
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 --