Sonoma Co. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Rosa, California 95402
Wednesday, August 17, 1983 5:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT & A PASSENGER TOOK OFF FROM THE ARPT AT DAWN BEFORE THE CONTROL TOWER WAS IN OPERATION. THE TAKEOFF WAS AT 0549 PDT IN IMC CONDITIONS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF, THE ACFT CRASHED. ONE WITNESS STATED THAT HE HEARD THE ACFT TAKEOFF 'ON 19', THEN HEARD THE ENG LIKE IT WAS IN A DIVE. ANOTHER WITNESS HEARD THE ACFT FLY OVER HIS HOUSE, THEN TURN AROUND & FLY BACK OVER HIS HOUSE & CRASH. HE STATED THE WX WAS FOGGY, BUT HE COULD SEE RUNWAY LIGHTS ABOUT 400 TO 500 YARDS AWAY. AT 0620 PDT, TOWER PERSONNEL OBSERVED THE WX WAS: 200 FT INDEFINITE CEILING, VISIBILITY 1/2 MI WITH FOG, TEMP 57, DEW POINT 55, WIND CALM. DURING IMPACT, THE ACFT WAS DEMOLISHED & THE WRECKAGE WAS STREWN OVER A PATH 345 FT LONG. A PIECE OF RED LENS WAS FOUND NEAR THE 1ST IMPACT POINT. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A PREFLT WX BRIEFING OR COMMUNICATION WITH ANY RADIO FACILITY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/17/1983
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 550
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SANTA ROSA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95402
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SONOMA CO.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID STS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 125
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 620 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID STS
Elevation of weather observation facility 125
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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) 1632
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21966
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 N5698V
NTSB Number LAX83FA390
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 28-7790499
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 16 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 117
Airframe Hours 1858
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD P. JIMINEZ
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10028 LOCH HAVEN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SANTA ROSA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95401
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 550
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PAO
Destination City PALO ALTO
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 --