Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paso Robles, California 93446
Wednesday, October 19, 1988 8:12 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT DEPARTED VFR AND WHILE EN ROUTE ENCOUNTED IMC NEAR THE DESTINATION. THE PLT REQUESTED AN IFR CLEARANCE FOR A VOR-DME APCH. THE PLT WAS INFORMED BY ATC TO EXPECT A DELAY DUE TO ANOTHER ACFT EXECUTING THE MISSED APCH. THE PLT WAS ISSUED THE WX AS INDEFINATE 200 OBS, VIS 1/4 MILE. ONE MILE VIS WAS REQUIRED FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LANDING. THE PLT ACCEPTED THE APCH CLEARANCE AND STARTED A DESCENT. THE ACFT DESCENDED 1,200 BELOW THE APCH PROFILE AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PLT WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE TERRAIN AND WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE OF RANCH AIRSTRIPS WHERE HE HAD LANDED PREVIOUS TO THIS FLT TO WAIT OUT THE WX AT THE SAME DESTINATION ARPT. THE COURSE BEING FLOWN BY THE PLT WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIM DIRECT TO ONE OF THESE RANCHES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE EXECUTING THE PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/19/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 812
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PASO ROBLES
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93446
Event Date Year 1988
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 750 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 172
Weather Observation Facility ID PRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 836
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 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) 2494
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 19 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39778
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N739YS
NTSB Number LAX89FA021
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 TR-182
Aircraft Series Identifier TR-182
Aircraft Serial Number R 182 01017
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 12 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT H. MILLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 501 N. MAIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City TEMPLETON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93465
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PATROLINE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address C-3 MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Operator City PASO ROBLES
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93446
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 VIS
Departure City VISALIA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PRB
Destination City PASO ROBLES
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --