Piper PA-28-181 N8078V

Summary

On 9 May 1989 at about 01:05 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N8078V, operated by Capitol Sky Park, Inc., was involved in an accident near Dublin, 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

9 May 1989 at 01:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Dublin, California, United States

Coordinates

37.7097, -121.9103

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N8078V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Capitol Sky Park, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hayward → Sacramento

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89FA189

2 people died.

THE PILOT DECIDED TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN AN AREA OF RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOTS LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO THIS CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE WEATHER INFORMATION AVAILABLE ESTABLISHED THAT COASTAL STRATUS CLOUDS WITH ACCOMPANYING COASTAL HILL MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT WAS FORECAST. ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL WEATHER REPORTS AND WITNESS OBSERVATIONS, THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE ACCIDENT SITE IS AT THE END OF A LONG NARROW VALLEY NEAR THE TOP OF A RIDGE LINE. AT DEPARTURE FROM HAYWARD, THE PILOT ORIGINALLY ASKED FOR A STRAIGHT OUT DEPARTURE, WHICH THE LOCAL CONTROLLER DENIED DUE TO A NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURE. THE PILOT THEN ACCEPTED A RIGHT CROSS WIND DEPARTURE. THE ENTERANCE TO THE NARROW VALLEY IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO A RIGHT CROSS WIND DEPARTURE PATH. AT THE TIME OF THE AIRCRAFT'S DEPARTURE, THE AIRPORT WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CEILING 1,000 FEET, VISIBILITY 10 MILES. SIX MINUTES AFTER THE FLIGHT DEPARTED, THE AIRPORT WENT IFR WITH A 900 FOOT CEILING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.