Piper PA-23-250 N49DB

Summary

On 20 May 1991 at about 02:55 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N49DB, operated by Allen R. Johnson, was involved in an accident near Gasquet, 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

20 May 1991 at 02:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Gasquet, California, United States

Coordinates

41.8391, -123.8500

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N49DB

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Allen R. Johnson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gasquet → Yreka

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX91LA220

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT IN A NARROW MOUNTAIN VALLEY IN CONDITIONS OF LOW CEILINGS AND MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT HAD DRIVEN FROM HIS HOME ALONG HIGHWAY 199 ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE ACCIDENT. THE HIGHWAY TRAVERSES THE COASTAL MOUNTAIN RANGE THROUGH A NARROW WINDING VALLEY AND IS THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE FROM GASQUET TO YREKA. THE PILOT WAS GOING TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO YREKA FOR AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. A PILOT WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT SAID THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON RUNWAY 6 THEN MAINTAINED ABOUT 200 FEET AGL AS IT FLEW EASTBOUND OVER THE HIGHWAY. THE WEATHER WAS 600 FT OVERCAST, WITH GOOD VISIBILITY BENEATH. ANOTHER WITNESS WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT OVERFLEW HIM JUST BELOW THE CLOUDS AT 700 FT AGL. THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS WERE BELOW THE TOPS OF THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAIN PEAKS. THE ACCIDENT SITE IS ON THE WESTERN SLOPES OF A 2,800 FT TALL COASTAL MOUNTAIN, LOCATED ADJACENT TO AND SOUTH OF THE HIGHWAY. THE ELEV OF THE SITE IS ABOUT 1,900 FT MSL. IMPACT MARKS AND DAMAGE TO TREES INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TREES AND THE STEEP MTN SLOPE IN A LEVEL TO SLIGHT CLIMB ATTITUDE WITH LITTLE BANK ANGLE. THE LAST ENTRY RECORDED IN THE PILOTS LOGBOOK WAS DATED JANUARY 2, 1990. ON THE PILOTS APPLICATION FOR HIS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ON MAY 1, 1991, HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT FLOWN FOR THE PRECEDING SIX MONTHS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.