Piper PA-28-140 N1259T

Summary

On 29 May 1988 at about 14:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N1259T was involved in an accident near Pinecrest, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 May 1988 at 14:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Pinecrest, California, United States

Coordinates

38.2800, -119.8209

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N1259T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tracy → Yerington

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX88FA197

2 people died.

PILOTS DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT THROUGH A MOUNTAIN AREA AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED AT THE NORTH EAST END OF A LARGE VALLEY IN THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS WHERE THE VALLEY BRANCHES INTO TWO SMALLER VALLEYS. THE NORTHERN BRANCH LEADS TO A PASS AND THE SOUTHERN ONE INTO A BOX CANYON AREA. THE SITE IS ON A PLATEAU AT THE 7,300 FT MSL LEVEL. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS WITH 'NEAR BLIZZARD LIKE CONDIITONS' EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. A HELICOPTER CREW SAID THE BASES OF THE OVERCAST CLOUDS WERE 6,300 FT MSL. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO ATTEND A FAMILY EVENT IN NEVADA. THE WITNESSES HEARD THE AIRCRAFT CIRCLING IN THE SNOW SHOWERS PRIOR TO THE SOUND OF IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TWO LARGE PINE TREES NEAR THE EDGE OF THE PLATEAU.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.