Accident Piper PA-28-161 N39778, Thursday 3 January 1991
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Date:Thursday 3 January 1991
Time:14:00 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic P28A model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-28-161
Owner/operator:Cal State Flying Club
Registration: N39778
MSN: 79-16009
Engine model:Lycoming O-320-D3G
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Glendale, CA -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:Pacoima, CA (KWHP)
Destination airport:Long Beach, CA (KLGB)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT RCVD TRAFFIC ADVISORIES FROM BURBANK APCH CONTROL TO PROCEED EASTBOUND THRU THE AREA OF BURBANK ARSA TO INTERCEPT V459. AT 1258:56 PST, RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED & THE PLT WAS GIVEN A VFR TRANSPONDER CODE & TOLD TO MAINTAIN VFR FLT. ABOUT 45 SEC LATER, AN ELT SIGNAL WAS HEARD FOR A BRIEF TIME. TWO DAYS LATER, WRECKAGE OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ABOUT 5 MI EAST OF THE BURBANK ARPT. ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 1900'. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT WHEN RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED, THE ACFT WAS FLYING EASTBOUND AT ABOUT 1900' MSL. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT TURNED LEFT TOWARD HIGH TERRAIN & COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE CABLE, THEN CRASHED & BURNED. IMPACT OCCURRED AS THE ACFT WAS ON A NORTHERLY HEADING & IN A LEFT TURN. AT 1246 PST, THE BURBANK WX WAS IN PART: 1000' SCT, ESTD 3000' BKN, 5000' OVC, VIS 4 MI WITH RAIN, WIND CALM. ABOUT 1/2 HR LATER, THE WX AT BURBANK WAS: 600' SCT, 1500' OVC, VIS 4 MI WITH RAIN, WND CALM.

Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION TO TURN TO THE LEFT, WHICH RESULTED IN FLIGHT TOWARD HIGHER TERRAIN. THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX91FA065
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 2 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB LAX91FA065

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
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 08:57 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Cn, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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