Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lakeport, California 95453
Tuesady, December 15, 1987 13:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ALTHOUGH WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE MARGINALLY VFR AT HIS DEPARTURE POINT, AND THE PILOT HAD ACCESS TO A VEHICLE WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO DRIVE TO HIS DEST, HE DEPARTED NOVATO, CA, ENROUTE TO LAKEPORT, CA, WITHOUT OBTAINING A WX BRIEFING NOR FILING A FLT PLAN. SHORTLY AFT DEPARTURE AND AGAIN NEARING HIS DEST HE RECEIVED INFLT WX INFO FM UKIAH FSS AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE REPORTED BAD WX IN THE VIC OF HIS ROUTE OF FLT. A WITNESS NEAR THE ACCD SITE REPORTED SNOW, STRONG WINDS, LOW CEILINGS, AND WORSENING CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCD. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SHALLOW RIDGE IN LOW MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHILE IN AN UPRIGHT, SLIGHTLY DESCENDING RIGHT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ELEVATION OF THE GROUND IMPACT SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2450 FEET AND THE CLOUD BASES WERE REPORTED AT UKIAH AS APPROXIMATELY 2600 FEET MSL NEAR THE TIME OF THE ACCD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/15/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LAKEPORT
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95453
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 12
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 Unknown
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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 Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 12
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 1881
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 17 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35250
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N400LA
NTSB Number SEA88FA031
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-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R7780507
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 15 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 81
Airframe Hours 2781
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GILBERT D EVANS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 762
Aircraft Owner City KELSEYVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95451
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GILBERT D. EVANS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5582 HILLTOP DRIVE
Operator City KELSEYVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95451
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 O56
Departure City NOVATO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1O2
Destination City LAKEPORT
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --