Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Julian, California 92036
Monday, October 14, 2002 10:52 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with mountainous terrain at 2,400 feet mean sea level following an entry into a spiral descent from 7,300 feet. After takeoff from the departure airport, the 77-year old pilot contacted Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) at 1019 and wanted VFR advisories to his destination. When radar contact was established, the controller noted that the airplane was nearly in an active restricted area. The controller assisted the pilot to navigate around the restricted area as the flight climbed to a mode C reported altitude of 6,500 feet. A short time later, the pilot asked the controller to help him find the destination airport and the controller gave the pilot a suggested heading to fly. At 1037, the pilot ceased talking on the radio and attempts by the controller to reestablish contact by using other airborne airplanes to relay messages was unsuccessful. The controller reported that the airplane then began a left descending spiral turn. Recorded radar data revealed that the airplane climbed at an average rate of 500 feet per minute until 6,500 feet, which was achieved at 1039:41. After that time, the airplane continued to climb with rates that varied from zero to 500 feet per minute. At 1045:28, the airplane reached 7,300 feet, then began a descent for 1 minute down to 7,100 feet, then a climb back to 7,300. At 1047:04, the mode C altitude reports showed a descent at an average rate of just over 1,000 feet per minute in a left descending spiral turn with about a 2,000-foot diameter, which continued in excess of 900 degrees (at least 2 1/2 complete turns). The rate of descent computed from the mode C altitude reports began about 500 feet per minute and increased to about 1,500 feet per minute by the time of the last two secondary beacon returns. The last secondary beacon return showed a mode C reported altitude of 4,100 feet and was located about 0.6 nautical miles east of the impact location. Ground based witnesses at a small airstrip about 10 miles southeast of the accident location reported that they saw the airplane fly overhead and a short time later saw the smoke rising from the accident site. The winds were described as calm and the skies clear. Although the wreckage was thermally destroyed in a post impact fire, no preimpact mechaninal malfunctions or failures were noted in the remaining elements. Toxicological tests were negative for carbon monoxide, alcohol, and drugs. The autopsy found left ventricular hypertophy and microscopic myocardial fibrosis evident in the heart, with other findings consistent with hypertension. The attesting pathologist reported that while it is possible that a sudden cardiac event or hypertensive intracerebral event could have contributed to the accident sequence, such findings could not be determined by the autopsy.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/2002
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1052
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Julian
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92036
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 330607N
Event Location Longitude 1161259W
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1054 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID KTRM
Elevation of weather observation facility -114
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16358
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1140
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 29 2004 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO-San Diego, California

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8735G
NTSB Number LAX03FA008
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 150F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15062835
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Frank Costello
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Salinas
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93906
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
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 IPL
Departure City Imperial
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1019
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RNM
Destination City Ramona
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 14 2004 12:18PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --