Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake View, California 92353
Sunday, January 22, 1989 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A VFR FLIGHT TO WHITEMAN AIRPORT THE PILOT ELECTED TO FLY AROUND THE AIRPORT NORTH OF THE BURBANK ARSA AFTER PASSING WEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AREA TO THE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT CONTAINS HIGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHICH WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED INTO A BOX CANYON AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN WHEN HE WAS EXECUTING A 180 DEGREE TURN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO A BOX CANYON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/22/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 20
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LAKE VIEW
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92353
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 WHP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 55 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID BUR
Elevation of weather observation facility 775
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 979
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 23 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39142
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 N26313
NTSB Number LAX89FA093
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 GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model AA5A
Aircraft Series Identifier AA5A
Aircraft Serial Number AA5A-0528
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
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 MERLIN THOMAS GLASS, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 23166 PEPPERWOOD
Aircraft Owner City SAN JACINTO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 HMT
Departure City HEMET
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2310
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code WHP
Destination City PACOIMA
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --