Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oak Hills, California 92344
Friday, October 5, 2007 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During cruise flight in dark night conditions, the pilot stated to air traffic control that he was at 3,700 feet over the freeway interchange at the base of a mountain pass. The pilot transmitted to the controller that he could not climb because he had clouds above him that he could not climb through. The accident site was at the summit of the pass at an approximate elevation of 4,196 feet. A deputy sheriff was traversing the pass in the area of the accident site just prior to the accident and he noted heavy fog and very limited visibility at the top of the pass. As he proceeded down the hill, the visibility improved as he dropped below the clouds and he observed an airplane flying up toward the pass. Ground scars and impact signatures were consistent with controlled flight into terrain. Investigators found no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions and failure to maintain terrain clearance during cruise flight. Contributing to the accident were mountainous terrain, dark night, and fog.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/5/2007
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 52
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Oak Hills
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92344
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 352114N
Event Location Longitude 1172623W
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 56 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID NID
Elevation of weather observation facility 2283
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.67
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) 24786
NTSB Notification Source FAA-ROC
NTSB Notification Date Oct 5 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 16 2008 3:39PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Riverside FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6549W
NTSB Number LAX08FA002
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-20628
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 23 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 143
Airframe Hours 7920
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Roessler, Raymond E
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Clinton
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84015
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Raymond E. Roessler
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Clinton
Operator State UT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 84015
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 LGB
Departure City Long Beach
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 12
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HND
Destination City Las Vegas
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 16 2008 3:40PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --