Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Toms Place, California 93514
Sunday, August 6, 1989 15:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A HIGH ELEVATION BASIN LOCATED ABOVE 10,000 FEET MSL IN THE MOUNTAINS. THE RIM OF THE BASIN WAS DETERMINED TO BE ABOVE 12,500 FEET. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT 10,500 FEET MSL WAS ABOUT 12,500 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT'S BEST RATE OF CLIMB WAS LESS THAN 400 FEET PER MILE. THE FLOOR OF THE BASIN ROSE IN ELEVATION ABOUT 400 FEET PER MILE IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR TERRAIN OBSTRUCTIONS BEFORE ENTERING A HIGH ELEVATION BASIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WHICH REDUCED THE AIRCRAFT'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE TO LESS THAN THE RATE OF CLIMB OF THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TOMS PLACE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93514
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1554 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID MMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 7128
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
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 Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2314
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 42385
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6274W
NTSB Number LAX89FA276
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-20323
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 ABOU-HAMAD, REDWAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4939 W. 119TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City HAWTHORNE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90250
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FAT
Departure City FRESNO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1449
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MMH
Destination City MAMMOTH LAKES
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --