Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fontana, California 92335
Monday, December 26, 1983 19:35 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A ELECTRICAL POWER LINE TOWER AT NIGHT DURING IMC WEATHER. THE TOWER WAS STRUCK AT 40 FT AGL. THEPLT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THIS FLT AND VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED. WITESSES HEARD THE ACFT FLY OVER AT AN ESTIMATED 200-300 FT IN DENSE FOG AND RAIN. WITNESSES HEARD THE CRASH AND CALLED THE SHERIFF WHO RESPONDED AND FOUND THE WRECKAGE SCATTERED BELOW THE TOWER FOR A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 300 FT. THE PLT DID NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT RATING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1935
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City FONTANA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92335
Event Date Year 1983
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 1945 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID ONT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2840
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23135
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8761P
NTSB Number LAX84FA113
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA 24-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA 24-260
Aircraft Serial Number 24-4211
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Aug 3 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 114
Airframe Hours 5025
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SAM PAUL WINTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7906 WILLIAMS RD.
Aircraft Owner City FONTANA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92335
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 CLX
Departure City CALEXICO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code L67
Destination City RIALTO
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 --