Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
Saturday, February 5, 1983 21:16 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A MOUNTAIN DURING A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY. THE WEATHER WAS VMC AT TAKEOFF BUT BECAME IMC LATER NEARTHE MOUNTAINS. A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED BUT NEVER OPENED.THE PILOT CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN IMC CONDITIONS. HE HAD RETURNED TO LAS VEGAS ONCE AND ASKED FOR MORE WEATHER BRIEFING. SHORTLY AFTER HIS SECOND DEPARTURE, AT NIGHT HE ASKED FOR ATC HELP FOR SEPARATION THROUGH LAS VEGAS, CA. HE WAS OBSERVED CLIMBING IN HEAVY RAIN. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER AT 1226, HE REPORTED NAVIGATIONAL PROBLEMS. ATC GAVE HIM A HEADING FOR A RETURN. ATC PERSONNEL OBSERVED THAT THE AIRCRAFT COMMENCED A TURN WHICH TIGHTENED AND THEN THE TARGET DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR SCOPE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ABOUT 65 FT BELOW A RIDGE LINE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 3500 FT MSL. IT IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN WITH THE RIGHT WING FIRST, THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED 58 FT UPSLOPE BEFORE COMING TO REST. MOUNTAIN TOPS IN THE AREA WERE OBSCURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/5/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2116
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LAS VEGAS
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89119
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 2
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 Witness
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 214
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20374
Date of most recent change to record Feb 21 2002 3:01PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1547H
NTSB Number LAX83FA091
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 177RG
Aircraft Serial Number 0721
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/Foreign Oper.
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 Mar 10 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 77
Airframe Hours 2473
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VERNON WALKER PITTMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 415 NORTH BROADWAY
Aircraft Owner City REDONDO BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90277
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 LAS
Departure City LAS VEGAS
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 2045
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TOA
Destination City TORRANCE
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 --