Piper PA31P-350 N79HW

Summary

On 27 October 1988 at about 02:00 local time, a Piper PA31P-350 registered N79HW was involved in an accident near Redlands, 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

27 October 1988 at 02:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Redlands, California, United States

Nearest airport

Redlands Muni (L12)

Coordinates

34.0005, -117.1191

Aircraft

Piper PA31P-350

Registration

N79HW

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Imperial → Redlands

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX89FA025

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT SELECTION OF AN INAPPROPRIATE ALTITUDE FOR THE ATTEMPTED NIGHT SPECIAL VFR CIRCLE TO LAND MANEUVER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DARK NIGHT, RESTRICTED VISIBILITIES AND LACK OF GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTS. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LIMITED TOTAL NIGHT EXPERIENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ARPT IS NEXT TO NORTON AFB. THE WEATHER ON THE DARK MOONLESS NIGHT WAS 1 MI VIS IN FOG AND HAZE. THE PLT COMPLETED AN ILS TO A LOW APPROACH AT NORTON AND RECEIVED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE TO PROCEED TO REDLANDS. THE CIRCLING MDA FOR NORTON IS 1,700 FT MSL. NORTON AFB ELEV IS 1,100 FT MSL, AND THE REDLANDS AIRPORT ELEV IS 1,572 FT MSL. THE CIRCLING MDA FOR NORTON IS 138 FT ABOVE THE REDLANDS AIRPORT ARPT ELEV. THE RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE FLT DESCENDED TO 1,800 FT ON THE ILS, THEN THE MODE C VARIED BETWEEN 1,700 AND 1,600 FT. THE LAST RADAR RETURN WAS ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE REDLANDS ARPT AT 1,600 FT MSL. A WITNESS ON THE AIRPORT SAW THE ACFT FLY OVER RUNWAY 8 IN A SOUTH TO NORTH DIRECTION, 'LOW AND FAST.' THE WITNESS HEARD THE CRASH SOUNDS IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER. EVIDENCE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THE ACFT LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND IN A 42 DEGREE LEFT BANK IN A SLIGHT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. FEW GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTS EXIST IN THE AREA AND THE PLT HAD MIN TTL NIGHT TIME.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.