Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Petaluma Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Petaluma, California 95433
Saturday, December 9, 2000 19:27 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After being cleared for a VOR/DME Runway 29 instrument approach in actual instrument meteorological conditions, the pilot failed to align the airplane onto the required 276-degree final approach course and descended beneath the 1,120-foot msl minimum descent altitude. The airplane impacted rising hilly terrain about 3.5 miles northeast of the airport at 1,020 feet msl, while tracking 291 degrees. Although the pilot had been cleared to perform a VOR/DME approach, an operating handheld GPS receiver (not approved for IFR navigation) was found in the airplane, and a GPS Runway 29 approach plate was found on the pilot's kneeboard. The GPS's final approach course was 290 degrees, and the airplane was tracking 291 degrees at the time of impact. Also, during the last 2 minutes of flight, the pilot had performed a stabilized descent from approximately 2,000 to 1,000 feet. The pilot was issued an instrument rating about 6 months before the accident. He had indicated to an acquaintance that he planned to practice instrument flying on the day of the crash. Toxicological tests on blood from the pilot detected a very high level of paroxetine (a prescription antidepressant) and an elevated level of mirtazapine (a prescription antidepressant with substantial sedative effects). The pilot did not indicate the use of these drugs on his last application for the medical certificate.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper IFR procedure, failure to maintain course alignment, and use of a nonapproved handheld GPS receiver for navigation during flight in actual instrument meteorological conditions. Factors contributing to the accident were the low clouds and the pilot's use of prescription drugs not approved for use by the FAA.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/9/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1927 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | PETALUMA |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 95433 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 381620N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1223203W |
| Event Location Airport | Petaluma |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | O69 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 59 |
| Airport Elevation | 87 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1933 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 301 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | STS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 125 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 19 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Obscured |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| 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) | 14939 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 10 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 608 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 2 2004 8:06AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N739HB |
| NTSB Number | LAX01FA055 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | TR182 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | TR182 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | R18200998 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3100 |
| 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 17 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 28 |
| Airframe Hours | 1709 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Colin L. and Johnna L. Fox, Trustees |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | San Carlos |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 94070 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | COLIN L. FOX |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | BURLINGAME |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 94010 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | APC |
| Departure City | NAPA |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1916 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | O69 |
| Destination City | Petaluma |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 17 2003 3:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |