Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Phelen, California 92371
Friday, July 19, 1985 13:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER RECEIVING A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING 1 HOUR AND 20 MINUTES BEFORE TAKEOFF, THAT CAUTIONED OF LOWERING CEILINGS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG HIS PROPOSED FLT ROUTE, THE PLT TOOK OFF UNDER VFR. A FLT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. AS THE ACFT CLIMBED TO ITS CRUISE ALT OF 11500 FT, AN ARTC CONTROLLER, THAT WAS PROVIDING THE PLT WITH TRAFFIC ADVISORIES, ADVISED THE PLT THAT A BOEING 737 AHEAD OF HIS POSITION AND AT 12000 FT WAS REPORTING MODERATE HAIL AND TURBULENCE. THE CONTROLLER AND BOTH ACFT WERE ON THE SAME FREQUENCY. WHEN THE PA-28 REACHED THE LIMITS OF THE SECTOR IN WHICH IT WAS FLYING, THE CONTROLLER TERMINATED THE ADVISORY SERVICE. APRX 6 MINUTES LATER A GROUND WITNESS OBSERVED THE PA-28, WITH ONLY ONE WING ATTACHED, SPIN OUT OF THE OVERCAST AND IMPACT A MOUNTAIN RIDGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PHELEN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92371
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 21
Weather Observation Facility ID VCV
Elevation of weather observation facility 2875
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5800
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2648
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 19 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30226
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2640Q
NTSB Number LAX85FA322
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 287790410
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 Dec 1 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 99
Airframe Hours 1868
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELWOOD J. TRAVIS, JR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 15932 IRONWOOD DR
Aircraft Owner City DOLAN SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86441
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GARY D. DELLEGATTE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3650 STOVER BLVD.,#31
Operator City LAS VEGAS
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89103
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code L66
Departure City CORONA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1240
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LAS
Destination City LAS VEGAS
Destination State NV
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --