Hesperia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Forest Falls, California 92339
Sunday, November 9, 2008 11:25 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight departed in visual flight rule (VFR) flight conditions on a cross-country flight back to the pilot's home airport. About 35 miles southeast of the destination airport, the airplane impacted the northwest side of an 11,000-foot mountain approximately 150 feet below the mountain's crest. Based on an analysis of the meteorological conditions existing at the time of the accident and in the vicinity of the accident site, the cloud bases were near 7,000 feet with the cloud tops above 15,000 feet. An Airman's Information (AIRMET) report for icing and turbulence had been issued for the time of the accident, in the accident area. An airframe and engine inspection revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot had a history, known to the FAA, of an abnormal heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation) for which he was taking a blood thinner to reduce stroke risk, and a color vision deficiency. The accident forces prevented the evaluation of any pre-existing disease, and it is unclear what, if any, relevance the pilot’s cardiac abnormalities or color vision deficiency had to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent impact with mountainous terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/9/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1125
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Forest Falls
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92339
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 340606N
Event Location Longitude 1165002W
Event Location Airport Hesperia Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L26
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 1955 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID RIV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1535
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.73
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26557
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 3 2010 3:44PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N312AG
NTSB Number WPR09FA034
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-32S-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32S7240096
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Douglas R. Bowles
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hesperia
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92345
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Douglas R. Bowles
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Hesperia
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 92345
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 SFH
Departure City Baja
Departure State --
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code L26
Destination City Hesperia
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 3 2010 3:44PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --