Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dublin, California 94568
Monday, May 8, 1989 18:05 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO THIS CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE WEATHER INFORMATION AVAILABLE ESTABLISHED THAT COASTAL STRATUS CLOUDS WITH ACCOMPANYING COASTAL HILL MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT WAS FORECAST. ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL WEATHER REPORTS AND WITNESS OBSERVATIONS, THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE ACCIDENT SITE IS AT THE END OF A LONG NARROW VALLEY NEAR THE TOP OF A RIDGE LINE. AT DEPARTURE FROM HAYWARD, THE PILOT ORIGINALLY ASKED FOR A STRAIGHT OUT DEPARTURE, WHICH THE LOCAL CONTROLLER DENIED DUE TO A NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURE. THE PILOT THEN ACCEPTED A RIGHT CROSS WIND DEPARTURE. THE ENTERANCE TO THE NARROW VALLEY IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A RIGHT CROSS WIND DEPARTURE PATH. AT THE TIME OF THE AIRCRAFT'S DEPARTURE, THE AIRPORT WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CEILING 1,000 FEET, VISIBILITY 10 MILES. SIX MINUTES AFTER THE FLIGHT DEPARTED, THE AIRPORT WENT IFR WITH A 900 FOOT CEILING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT DECIDED TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN AN AREA OF RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOTS LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1805
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City DUBLIN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94568
Event Date Year 1989
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 1807 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 195
Weather Observation Facility ID HWD
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 8
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) 1954
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 9 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1255
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41087
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8078V
NTSB Number LAX89FA189
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-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8090074
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 25 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 3363
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRUCE M. DOUGLASS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6471 RANCHO ADOBE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SACRAMENTO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95828
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CAPITOL SKY PARK, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5963 FREEPORT BLVD.
Operator City SACRAMENTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95822
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HWD
Departure City HAYWARD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1756
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAC
Destination City SACRAMENTO
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --