ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 36727
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Wednesday 5 October 1994 |
| Time: | 12:09 LT |
| Type: | Aero Commander 560 |
| Owner/operator: | Fifer Caudle |
| Registration: | N251VW |
| MSN: | 212 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming GO-480-B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Essex, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Thermal, CA (KTRM) |
| Las Vegas, NV (KLAS) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE PRIVATE PILOT WITH ABOUT 3,000 HOURS OF REPORTED FLIGHT TIME AND NO INSTRUMENT RATING DEPARTED HIS HOME BASE, THERMAL, CALIFORNIA, FOR A SHORT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. WHEN THE PILOT FAILED TO ARRIVE AT HIS DESTINATION, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED 6 DAYS AFTER IT DEPARTED THERMAL WITH THE HELP OF RADAR DATA. ACCORDING TO THE RADAR DATA, THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 16,100 FEET WHEN IT STARTED A SERIES OF MANEUVERS WHILE DESCENDING. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WING OUTER PANEL, AILERON, AND LEFT ENGINE WERE LOCATED SOME DISTANCE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED AS MARGINAL VFR WITH THUNDERSTORM CELL ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. THE AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE A WORKING OXYGEN SYSTEM NOR WAS IT EQUIPPED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT NOR ICING CONDITIONS.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadvertent flight into IMC conditions. Contributing to the accident was a loss of control of the aircraft and exceeding the structural limits of the aircraft. The weather conditions were factors.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX95FA003
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] |
| 09-Apr-2024 18:49 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation