ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 35500
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| Date: | Monday 5 December 1994 |
| Time: | 19:53 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28R-180 |
| Owner/operator: | Arrow Associates |
| Registration: | N4510J |
| MSN: | 28R-30366 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1968 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4757 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-360-B1E |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Groveland, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | San Jose, CA (KSJC) |
| (Q68) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE ACCIDENT SITE IS AT 3,440 FEET IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT FLEW REGULARLY INTO THE PINE MOUNTAIN AIRPORT. RECORDED RADAR DATA DISCLOSED A SECONDARY MODE C BEACON TARGET THAT DISAPPEARED WITHIN 1/4 MILE OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AT THE ESTIMATED TIME OF THE CRASH. THE TARGET FLEW ON A RELATIVELY CONSTANT NORTHEASTERLY HEADING WHILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A DESCENT FROM APPROXIMATELY 5,700 FEET AND THE LAST RADAR RETURN SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT HAD DESCENDED TO 3,800 FEET MSL. A PILOT AT THE AIRPORT STATED THAT WEATHER HAD BEEN 'UP AND DOWN' ALL DAY WITH LOW CLOUD LAYERS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA. HE STATED THAT THERE WERE VERY FEW GROUND LIGHTS IN THE AREA OF THE CRASH AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SEE THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN ON A DARK NIGHT. CELLULAR TELEPHONE RECORDS DISCLOSED THAT THE PILOT MADE THREE PHONE CALLS DURING THE LAST 10 MINUTES OF THE FLIGHT WITH ONE UNCOMPLETED CALL RECORDED ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE NIGHT WAS DARK WITH NO MOON.
Probable Cause: the failure of the pilot to maintain adequate terrain clearance during a nighttime descent into the airport over an unlighted mountainous area. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction by attempting to make several cellular telephone calls during a critical phase of flight.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX95FA044
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:22 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 09-Apr-2024 17:55 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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