Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bridgeport, California 93517
Friday, December 22, 2006 10:35 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

There were no known witnesses to the accident. The non-instrument rated pilot was on a cross-country flight over mountainous terrain. There was an Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMET) advisory for mountain obscuration by clouds, precipitation, mist, and fog that included the area along the route of flight. A radar target that transited the expected flight path from the departure point at the time of the airplane's flight displayed climbs and descents consistent with attempts to avoid clouds. The airplane collided with the mountainous terrain in an extreme nose down attitude at high velocity. Investigators discovered no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's attempted VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent failure to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was mountain obscuration.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/22/2006
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1035
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Bridgeport
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93517
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381712N
Event Location Longitude 1190232W
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 1054 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID MMH
Elevation of weather observation facility 7128
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2900
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.27
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) 24320
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 22 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2008 6:40PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO Reno, NV

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8001H
NTSB Number LAX07FA061
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number N8001H
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 4
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 Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Joel M. Hodes
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Schurz
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89427
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 O43
Departure City Yerington
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code O26
Destination City Lone Pine
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 10 2008 4:31PM
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 --