Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Bernardino, California 92405
Thursday, January 5, 1989 10:15 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCIDENT SITE IN PASS AT AN ELEVATION 3,200 FT MSL, 1/2 MILE FROM INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. 10,000 FT MOUNTAINS BOTH SIDES. SHERIFF'S HELO PILOTS FLYING PATROL BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT TIME FRAME REPORTED RAPIDLY FORMING AND DISSIPATING STRATUS CLOUDS WHICH OBSCURED THE HILL SIDES AND FLOOR OF THE PASS. THE PILOT HAD ARRANGED FOR A COWORKER TO PICK HIM UP AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY OBTAINED 13 HOURS OF INSTRUMENT DUAL INSTRUCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TRANSIT THROUGH A MOUNTAIN PASS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WAS: THE PILOT'S SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE KNOWING THAT A CO-WORKER WAS PROBABLY WAITING FOR HIM AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT; OVER CONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY AFTER HAVING RECENTLY RECEIVED INSTRUMENT DUAL INSTRUCTION; AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/5/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN BERNARDINO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92405
Event Date Year 1989
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1055 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 115
Weather Observation Facility ID RIV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1157
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1630
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 5 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1532
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40515
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5157L
NTSB Number LAX89FA078
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-4442
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Nov 8 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 2014
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CARL R TROXELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8255 VINEYARD 2000C
Aircraft Owner City RANCHO CUCAMONG
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91730
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TROXELL, CARL R.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8255 VINEYARD 2000C
Operator City RNCHO CUCAMONGA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91730
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 P06
Departure City BULLHEAD CITY
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code L67
Destination City RIALTO
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --