ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 35973
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| Date: | Tuesday 24 October 1989 |
| Time: | 13:00 |
| Type: |  Cessna 177 Cardinal |
| Owner/operator: | private |
| Registration: | N30228 |
| MSN: | 17701134 |
| Engine model: | LYCOMING O-360-A1A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | So Lake Tahoe, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Modesto, CA (MOD) |
| Carson City, NV (O04) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT OBTAINED TWO PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFINGS PRIOR TO THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. BOTH BRIEFINGS CAUTIONED AGAINST VFR FLIGHT DUE TO TURBULENCE, ICING, MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE PILOT'S INTENDED ROUTE. RECORDED RADAR DATA ESTABLISHED THAT THE AIRCRAFT MAINTAINED A CONSTANT CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 13,500 FT AFTER DEPARTURE UNTIL IT WAS OVER THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED A RIGHT SPIRALING DESCENT WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED BELOW THE RADAR COVERAGE FLOOR OF 9,300 FT (1,000 FT ABOVE THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION). EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE WING LEVELER AUTO PILOT WAS IN THE ON POSITION. WEATHER REPORTS AND WITNESS OBSERVATIONS ESTABLISHED THAT BROKEN TO OVERCAST CLOUDS EXISTED WITH BASES 300 FT BELOW THE SITE ELEVATION AND TOPS AT ABOUT 12,000 TO 13,000 FEET. CAUSE: THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X29627
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] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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