Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Havasu, California 92363
Saturday, November 13, 2004 18:32 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The aircraft collided with hilly desert terrain 8 miles west of the destination airport after encountering instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating. Radar information was obtained, tracking the departing airplane's target at a takeoff time of 1703:34 from El Monte, California. The recorded route of flight of the eastbound target continued up to the last radar return at 1832:31, at a Mode C altitude of 8,300 feet mean sea level (msl) (7,000 feet above ground level (agl)). The highly fragmented and burned wreckage was found about 1/2-mile west of the last recorded radar position spread out over a 130-foot-long debris field on a magnetic heading of 160 degrees. According to the Unicom operator, about 1815, a light rain storm with some lightning passed through the airport traffic area, moving approximately southeast to northwest (toward the accident site), and clearing about 1825. About 1821, an unidentified aircraft called the Unicom operator and the pilot asked about the weather. The operator provided the weather from the Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) monitor screen, and asked the pilot where the aircraft was coming from. The pilot responded "L.A. area, 35 out at 8,500," and reported that he could see Bullhead City, Arizona, off his left wing. The pilot asked for the runway in use, and the operator gave "32 left traffic." About 1825 to 1827, a call came over the Unicom radio stating "Hey Unicom I'm in trouble." There were no responses to several calls from the Unicom operator. At 1815 , the AWOS was reporting 3,000 feet scattered, 4,000 broken, and 11,000 overcast. The wind was 330 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 23 knots. Using radar, satellite imagery, and upper air soundings, a meteorological analysis found that visual conditions generally existed along the airplane's route of flight until the immediate area of the accident site where merging cloud layers were present, with bases at 300 feet agl and tops to 22,000 feet. Light rain showers likely existed at the accident site.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions leading to spatial disorientation and an in-flight loss of control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/13/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1832
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Lake Havasu
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92363
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 343123N
Event Location Longitude 1143052W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1915 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID HII
Elevation of weather observation facility 781
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19546
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Nov 17 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2006 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-RAL-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6111C
NTSB Number LAX05FA034
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 Beech
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number E-1955
Certified Max Gross Weight 3650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Sep 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5119
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert Caron
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City El Monte
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91733
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 EMT
Departure City El Monte
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1703
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HII
Destination City Lake Havasu
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - normal
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 24 2006 4:28PM
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 --