Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gorman, California 93534
Wednesday, December 12, 1984 18:21 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS ON A NIGHT X-COUNTRY FLT. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. ON 12/12/84, THE PLANE WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD IMPACTED AN AREA OF RISING TERRAIN WHILE APPROACHING THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A RELATIVELY FLAT AREA AT AN ELEVATION OF 4250 FT WHILE THE ACFT WAS IN A WINGS LEVEL, TAIL LOW ATTITUDE & ON A HEADING OF 336 DEG. FROM 1/2 TO 2 MI WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE TERRAIN ROSE RAPIDLY TO 6700 FT. THE AREA WINDS ALOFT AT 9000 & 12,000 FT WERE FORECAST TO BE FROM 333 DEG AT 45 KTS & 320 DEG AT 54 KTS, RESPECTIVELY. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/12/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1821
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City GORMAN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93534
Event Date Year 1984
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1900 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID WJF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2347
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 335
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 50
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2723
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26666
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 N26131
NTSB Number LAX85FA071
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 GRUMMAN AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA-5A
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5A
Aircraft Serial Number 0448
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 12 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 509
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CAPT. STEVEN A. FRIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1137C BOBO AVE. RR MCAS
Aircraft Owner City YUMA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85365
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code YUM
Departure City YUMA
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1505
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NLC
Destination City LEMOORE NAS
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --