Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ramona, California 92065
Tuesady, August 8, 1989 5:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT TOOK OFF FROM HIS HOME, UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT, FOR A FLIGHT UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES TO A DISTANT AIRPORT. A GROUND WITNESS STATED THAT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE AT THE TIME OF THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S VFR FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGIAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT DESCENT INTO THE GROUND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, LOW CEILING, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 520
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RAMONA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92065
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 2333
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42407
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6067Z
NTSB Number LAX89FA268
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-601P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-601P
Aircraft Serial Number 61P06660
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 19 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 878
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. BLUNT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2040 ORO VERDE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ESCONDIDO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92027
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code L39
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 520
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SLC
Destination City SALT LAKE CITY
Destination State UT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --