ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 39819
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| Date: | Saturday 2 March 1991 |
| Time: | 19:55 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28R-200 |
| Owner/operator: | Gunnell Aviation, Inc. |
| Registration: | N5290T |
| MSN: | 28R-7235217 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3179 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-360-C1C |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Monterey Park, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Santa Monica, CA |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE PILOT UNEXPLAINABLY QUIT WORK AND LEFT HOME TEN DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. SEVEN DAYS LATER THE PILOT RETURNED HOME AND LEFT A SUICIDE NOTE. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT POLICE OFFICERS QUESTIONED THE PILOT AND HE STATED HE LEFT THE SUICIDE NOTE TO GET REVENGE ON HIS WIFE. THE OFFICERS DID NOT DETAIN THE PILOT. THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT IN HIS AIRPLANE AND FLEW FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES. WITNESSES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE CIRCLED THE AREA AND EXECUTED AT LEAST ONE DIVING, PULL UP MANEUVER. AFTER COMPLETING THAT MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE ENTERED INTO A STRAIGHT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND CRASHED INTO THE HOUSE. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL WHILE CIRCLING THE AREA. DURING THE DESCENT THE ENGINE SOUND INCREASED TO A HIGH PITCHED WHINE UNTIL IMPACT. THE INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WHICH WOULD HAVE RENDERED THE AIRPLANE INCAPABLE OF OPERATION.
Probable Cause: SUICIDE.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX91FA116
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Apr-2024 08:00 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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