Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Catalina Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Avalon, California 90704
Wednesday, December 24, 2003 10:20 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The twin-engine airplane impacted mountainous terrain during a VOR-B approach in actual instrument weather conditions. The commercial pilot (first pilot) and airline transport pilot (owner/second pilot), were conducting an aircraft checkout flight. The VOR is located on top of a mountain at an elevation of 2,090 feet. The VOR/DME-B approach consists of tracking the 352-degree radial inbound to the VOR from the north descending from 3,200 feet down to the minimum descent altitude of 2,100 feet prior to the Initial Approach Fix (IAF). The IAF is 2.2 nm from the Missed Approach Point (MAP). The MAP is 1.0 nm north of the airport runway and 2.8 nm from the VOR. The published missed approach procedure consists of a climb from 2,100 feet to 3,200 feet direct to the VOR on the 352 radial, then hold at the VOR. Review of the recorded radar data disclosed that while executing the VOR-B approach, the airplane appeared to fly the published approach procedure normally with the exception of paralleling the final approach course (352-degree radial) about 1 mile to the east. The pilots had told the controllers that they were flying the approach with the intentions of executing the missed approach procedure. Once the airplane passed the missed approach point (MAP), the pilots failed to execute the climb portion of the missed approach procedures. The airplane continued to track towards the VOR at the minimum descent altitude until impacting the mountain just below the VOR.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of both pilots to properly execute the published missed approach procedure.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/24/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1020 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Avalon |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 90704 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 332235N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1182509W |
| Event Location Airport | CATALINA |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | AVX |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1.8 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 172 |
| Airport Elevation | 1602 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1022 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 172 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AVX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1602 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1.25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.07 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 5 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 5 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18621 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 24 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1040 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 27 2005 6:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP FSDO LONG BEACH, CA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3747U |
| NTSB Number | LAX04FA077 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-34-200T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 34-7570287 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4773 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 7 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3320.1 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Golf Air Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1000 E William Street, Suite 204 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Carson City |
| Aircraft Owner State | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 89701 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Long Beach Flying Club |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2631 Spring Street |
| Operator City | Long Beach |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 90806 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | LGB |
| Departure City | LONG BEACH |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 954 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | LGB |
| Destination City | LONG BEACH |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Missed approach (IFR) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 29 2005 4:00PM |
| 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 | -- |