Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eureka, California 95501
Sunday, June 19, 1977 12:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The aircraft wreckage was discovered 22 miles south of the departure airport after having been missing for 19 years. A family member recalled that the non instrument rated pilot departed in marginal VFR conditions and stated his intent to fly south via a river and a highway. The aircraft was last seen 4 miles north of where the wreckage was found by the pilot of another aircraft. That pilot reported the weather at the mountain valley location was 500- to 600-foot overcast with mountains obscured on both sides of the highway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's intentional VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/1977
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City EUREKA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95501
Event Date Year 1977
Event Date Month 6
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1152 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 341
Weather Observation Facility ID ACV
Elevation of weather observation facility 218
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
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 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) 2026
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 30 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2000 12:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1168J
NTSB Number LAX96LA321
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Rockwell
Aircraft Model 112
Aircraft Series Identifier 112
Aircraft Serial Number 168
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORMAN K. WASCHER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1549 RUGBY CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City THOUSAND OAKS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91360
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code EKA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OXR
Destination City OXNARD
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --