Accident Piper PA-32R-300 N4303X,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 35269
 
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Date:Friday 7 June 1996
Time:10:43 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic P32R model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-32R-300
Owner/operator:E.madson, L.colvin, C.voorhis
Registration: N4303X
MSN: 32R-7680008
Total airframe hrs:4809 hours
Engine model:Lycoming IO-540-K1A5D
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Goleta, CA -   United States of America
Phase: Approach
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Santa Ynez, CA (KIZA)
Destination airport:(KSBA)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
Two instrument-rated pilots departed for a planned 24-mile instrument flight. About 5 minutes after takeoff, one of the pilots contacted the radar controller and requested an instrument landing clearance. The controller cleared the pilot for an ILS runway 7 approach to Santa Barbara. When the airplane was about 1 mile west of the final approach fix, it had descended to 1,500 feet. The published glide slope altitude for the fix was 1,774 feet. At 1042, as the airplane was still inbound toward the final approach fix, it reversed course, then it proceeded in a westerly and then a northerly direction. Radar data showed that the airplane then descend through 1,100 feet on a northeasterly heading. A low altitude alert alarm sounded in the ATC control room, and radar contact was lost. (Note: the pilots had not reported any abnormal condition with the airplane or equipment, nor was a safety advisory (alert) transmitted to the airplane.) A witness observed that the airplane came out of clouds in a steep descent and impacted the water at a high rate of speed. He estimated the visibility was 2 miles in fog. Wreckage was recovered, and no mechanical malfunction was found. A review of the pilots' logbooks and airplane utilization records revealed that neither pilot met the FAA instrument flight currency requirements.

Probable Cause: failure of the flying pilot to maintain control of the airplane, due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with the water. Factors relating to the accident were: the lack of recent instrument experience by the flying pilot and the lack of monitoring (and/or remedial action) by the other pilot.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX96FA226
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 11 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB LAX96FA226

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft
18 February 1989 N4303X Private 0 Fort Lauderdale, FL sub

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
09-Apr-2024 06:32 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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