Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Three Rivers, California 93271
Saturday, April 6, 2002 15:40 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with trees and mountainous terrain during a personal flight over Sequoia National Park. The noninstrument rated pilot and three passengers departed for a flight around Sequoia National Park. When the flight failed to return, a search was initiated, with aerial search efforts hampered by prevailing cloud cover over the mountainous park. Four days later, a military helicopter located the accident site about 5,900 feet msl. The accident site was located in tall timber with occasional snow beds. Park service officials reported that on the day of the accident cloud cover existed in the park over the area of the accident site with bases estimated about 5,000 feet msl. Fragmented wreckage was scattered along a 090-degree magnetic heading about 150 feet. A fire had consumed the center section of the airplane. The wing panel leading edges revealed near perpendicular 12- and 18-inch semicircular radius impacts dimensionally similar to the surrounding trees. Tree bark material transfers were noted in the impressions. The wing panels and landing gears were severed from their corresponding structural attach points. One propeller blade had light damage and the other had major damage with trailing edge "S" bending and the loss of 4 inches of blade tip. Subsequent examination of the airframe and engine disclosed no preimpact anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's attempt to continue visual flight in instrument meteorological conditions in mountainous terrain. Contributing factors were low ceiling and mountainous terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/6/2002
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1540
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Three Rivers
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93271
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 363119N
Event Location Longitude 1184003W
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 1535 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 248
Weather Observation Facility ID VIS
Elevation of weather observation facility 295
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.87
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15900
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 6 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1932
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 7:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FRESNO, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7839W
NTSB Number LAX02FA131
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-1856
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 Feb 8 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3503
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Panjanam Aviation Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7 E. Christina Place
Aircraft Owner City Newark
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19702-296
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Patrick D. Carey
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Visalia
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 93277
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 VIS
Departure City Visalia
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1459
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code VIS
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2004 10:56AM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --