Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Redlands, California 92373
Thursday, January 27, 1983 10:48 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT 0638 PST, THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING ON A FLT TO SACRAMENTO, CA, AND WAS ADVISED THAT VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. AT 0800, HE RECEIVED ANOTHER BRIEFING & FILED A VFR FLT PLAN TO PALM SPRINGS, CA. DURING FLT, HE ADVISED PALM SPRINGS TOWER THAT IF HE COULD GET THRU THE WX, HE INTENDED TO CONTINUE ON TO SACRAMENTO. RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST APRX 7 MI WEST OF THE ARPT AT 2500 FT MSL. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION, A SEARCH WAS BEGUN; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT FOUND UNTIL 9/13/83. THE ACFT WAS FOUND BY HIKERS APRX 15 MI NORTHWEST OF REDLANDS , CA AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 6600 FT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE ACFT HAD CRASHED IN AN INVERTED, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. MOUNTAIN TOPS IN THE AREA RANGED FROM 10,831 TO 11,502 FT MSL. CLOUD BASES WERE REPORTED AT 2700 FT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S LOG BOOK, HE HAD FLOWN 5 HRS IN 1974, 1.4 HRS IN 1982 & 11.7 HRS IN 1983. THE CFI THAT CHECKED HIM OUT IN THE ACFT NOTED THAT IFR FLT WAS NOT RCMDD TIL HE RECEIVED MORE DUAL INSTRUCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/27/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1048
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City REDLANDS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92373
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 1
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 1028 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID SBD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1156
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 1137
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21444
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8139D
NTSB Number LAX83FA438
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-301
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-301
Aircraft Serial Number 801341
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 8 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 750
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CAPITOL SKYPARK, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address EXECUTIVE AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City SACRAMENTO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95822
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 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 TUS
Departure City TUCSON
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 750
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SMF
Destination City SACRAMENTO
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --