Smith Aerostar 600 N8007J

Summary

On 8 May 1982 at about 13:16 local time, a Smith Aerostar 600 registered N8007J, operated by Judith Gill Wagner, was involved in an accident near Burbank, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 died. One person on the ground also died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

8 May 1982 at 13:16

Classification

Accident

Location

Burbank, California, United States

Nearest airport

Burbank (BUR)

Coordinates

34.1700, -118.3098

Aircraft

Smith Aerostar 600

Registration

N8007J

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Judith Gill Wagner

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burbank → Farmington

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX82FA161

2 people died, including 1 on the ground.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED INTO IFR CONDITIONS WITH A NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT AND HIS WIFE, AN INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT, IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. AFTER THE PILOT REPORTED CLIMBING THROUGH 2800 FT MSL, THE RADAR CONTROLLER OBSERVED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DEVIATED FROM THE COURSE AND BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. HE ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PILOT, BUT WAS UNABLE. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT MANEUVER IN AND OUT OF THE OVERCAST. TWO WITNESSES WATCHED IT CHANGE COURSE TO THE RIGHT FROM SOUTHEAST TO NORTHWEST, PULL UP INTO THE OVERCAST, THEN DIVE OUT OF THE CLOUDS IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE AND CRASH. DURING AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE, NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL FAILURES WERE FOUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESIGNED TO BE FLOWN IN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS FROM ONLY THE LEFT FRONT SEAT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.