Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ukiah Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ukiah, California 95482
Sunday, April 4, 2004 8:10 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument rated private pilot attempted to depart an airport in instrument meteorological conditions. Prior to departure, the pilot talked to another, airborne pilot in the area, and confirmed the airport's reported conditions of an overcast layer at 100 feet above ground level (agl). The accident pilot indicated to the other pilot that he intended to depart VFR. Several witnesses reported that they observed the airplane departing to the south. It then turned toward the west at low level and subsequently turned back to the east. They further noted that the engine sound remained constant, continuing until the sound of a loud crash. The airplane contacted vegetation just prior to colliding with the ground, and the debris path continued along a southerly heading. Investigators examined the extensively crushed and fragmented wreckage, and identified no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. The pilot had logged about 7 hours of simulated instrument time.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The non-instrument rated pilot's flight intentional flight into instrument meteorological conditions during takeoff-initial climb, which resulted in spatial disorientation, a subsequent loss of aircraft control, and an uncontrolled descent into terrain. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of an instrument rating and a low ceiling.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/4/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 810 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ukiah |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 95482 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 390720N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1231160W |
| Event Location Airport | Ukiah |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | UKI |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 120 |
| Airport Elevation | 614 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 811 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | UKI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 614 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Overcast |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -369 |
| 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) | 16984 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 4 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 843 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 28 2004 12:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP-OAK-FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4130D |
| NTSB Number | LAX04FA177 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32R-301T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3257059 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 20 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 522 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Gypsy Flyer Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ukiah |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 95482 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | UKI |
| Departure City | Ukiah |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 810 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | WLW |
| Destination City | Willows |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 27 2004 5:59PM |
| User who most recently changed record | LABJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 15 |
| Runway Length | 4415 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |