Piper PA-28R-201T N2776M

Summary

On 20 March 1991 at about 06:20 local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T registered N2776M, operated by Physical Therapy & Wellness CT, was involved in an accident near Vacaville, 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 March 1991 at 06:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Vacaville, California, United States

Coordinates

38.4107, -122.0093

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-201T

Registration

N2776M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Physical Therapy & Wellness CT

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hayward → Davis

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX91FA138

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT AT NIGHT UNDER LOW CLOUDS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OVER RISING TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS, AND THE CONTROLLER'S INACCURATE RESPONSE TO THE PILOT'S COMMENT ABOUT FLYING OVER FLAT TERRAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

BFR FLT AT NGT, PLT RCVD 2 WX BRIEFINGS & FILED VFR FLT PLN. LOW CIGS PREVAILED ALONG RTE. ABT 7 MIN AFTER TKOF, PLT OPENED FLT PLN & RCVD VFR ADZY FM OAKLAND CTR WITH HANDOFF TO TRAVIS RAPCON. AFTER DISCUSSION ABT RTE, RADAR CTLR PROVIDED VECTOR OF 050 DEG. AT 2216:15, CTLR TOLD PLT RADAR CTC WAS LOST DUE TO ACFT'S LOW ALT & SUGGESTED A CLIMB 'AT LEAST ABOVE 3000 FT.' AT ABT 2216:55, RADAR CTC WAS REACQUIRED & CTLR TOLD PLT HE WAS 8 MI NORTH OF NAPA; TO THIS, THE PLT TRANSMITTED, 'OK, (PAUSE) ITS ALL FLAT COUNTRY OUT HERE I THINK ISN'T IT' & THE CTLR REPLIED 'YEA.' AT 2218:19, CTLR ISSUED HDG OF 080 DEG & ASKED ABT ACFT'S ALT. WHEN PLT SAID 2500', CTLR ADZD 2900' MTN WAS ABT 1 MI RGT OF COURSE. AT 2219:45, CTLR ADZD MTN PEAK WAS LESS THAN 1 MI NE OF ACFT. PLT INDCD HE WOULD TURN LEFT, BUT SOON THEREAFTER, ACFT CRASHED NR TOP OF A RIDGE AT 2450 FT MSL. APRX 12 MI ESE AT TRAVIS AFB (ELEV 62 FT), 2155 PST WX WAS IN PART: 1200' SCT, 2500' SCT, 5000' OVC, & VIS 7 MI WITH LGT RAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.