Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Missing Acft
Tuesady, February 24, 1987 18:16 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) & THE SINGLE-ENG, PVT PLT (OWNER) WERE ON A FLT TO CONDUCT MULTI-ENG TRAINING FOR THE NEW OWNER. DRG THE FLT, THE CREW CONTACTED LOS ANGELES TRACON & REQUESTED A VOR APCH TO THE SANTA MONICA ARPT & SAID THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAINT VFR. TRACON ASSIGNED AN ALT OF 3000' & STARTED PROVIDING VECTORS TO THE FLT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WERE LOST AS IT WAS FLYING OVER OCEAN WATERS ABOUT 12 MI WEST OF LOS ANGELES. NEITHER THE ACFT NOR THE OCCUPANTS WERE FND. THE ACFT WAS PRESUMED TO HAVE CRASHED IN THE OCEAN & THE CREW WERE PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN FATALLY INJURED. RAINSHOWERS & A THUNDERSTORM WERE RPRTD TO BE IN THE AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/24/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1816
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City MISSING ACFT
Event State PACIFIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90405
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 2
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 277
Weather Observation Facility ID LAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 126
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2700
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) 2250
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 25 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35889
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8307H
NTSB Number LAX87FAMS2
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 Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-44-180T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-44-180T
Aircraft Serial Number 448107032
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
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 EDWARD H. GRINSTEAD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3230 OVERLAND AVE. #304
Aircraft Owner City LOS ANGELES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90034
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 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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VNY
Departure City VAN NUYS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1618
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --