Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Near Pala, California 92059
Monday, March 21, 1983 7:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO A FRIEND OF THE PLT, HE (THE PLT) HAD WATCHED WX INFOR ON TV, ON 3/20/83. TO THE FRIEND'S KNOWLEDGE, THE PLT HAD NEVER TELEPHONED THE FAA FSS FOR A WX BRIEFING OR TO FILE A FLT PLAN. AFTER THE FRIEND TOOK THE PLT & HIS WIFE (WHO WAS ALSO A PLT) TO THE ARPT, HE OBSERVED THE ACFT DEPART TO THE EAST WHERE THE WX LOOKED VERY DARK. APRX 30 T0 35 MIN LATER, WITNESSES HEARD THE ACFT CIRCLE AT LOW ALTITUDE IN THE VICINITY OF THE PALOMAR OBSERVATORY. THEY THEN HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHEN THE ACFT HIT A 110 FT TREE, APRX 80 FT AGL. NONE OF THE WITNESSES COULD SEE THE ACFT. REPORTEDLY, THE CEILING & VISIBILITY WERE AT OR NEAR ZERO-ZERO, WIND FROM 360 DEG AT 5 KTS, TEMPERATURE 30 DEG, WITH HEAVY SNOW & FOG THAT CONTINUED THRU-OUT THE DUTY. NEITHER OF THE PLTS WERE INSTRUMENT RATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/21/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 740
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City NEAR PALA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92059
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 3
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Day
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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) 211
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20371
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2462D
NTSB Number LAX83FA153
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 170B
Aircraft Series Identifier 170B
Aircraft Serial Number 20614
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 Dec 3 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 4122
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS LOREN BROWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 163
Aircraft Owner City ORDERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84768
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OCN
Departure City OCEANSIDE
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 705
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code P34
Destination City WINDOW ROCK
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --