Beechcraft S-35 N5874S

Summary

On 27 May 1992 at about 20:30 local time, a Beechcraft S-35 registered N5874S, operated by Marin Pilots Association, was involved in an accident near Avalon, 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 May 1992 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Avalon, California, United States

Coordinates

33.3792, -118.4508

Aircraft

Beechcraft S-35

Registration

N5874S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Marin Pilots Association

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Catalina → Long Beach

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92FA220

2 people died.

1) IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING, 2) THE PILOTS SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR DEPARTURE WHICH PUT THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY IN AN AREA OF RESTRICTED VISIBILITY AND FOG AFTER LIFTOFF, 3) THE PILOTS INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS, AND 4) HIS FAILURE TO SELECT A PROPER INITIAL ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT OBTAINED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING AND FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE 30 MINUTE FLIGHT FROM CATALINA ISLAND TO THE MAINLAND AT LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT MANAGER AT THE PRIVATE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT, THE PILOT STATED TO HIM THAT HE HAD AN IFR CLEARANCE ON FILE, BUT HE MIGHT GO VFR ON RUNWAY 4. THE PILOT THEN TAXIED OUT TO RUNWAY 22 AND CALLED ON THE UNICOM READY FOR DEPARTURE. THE MANAGER GAVE THE PILOT THE ALTIMETER SETTING AND WIND THEN THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED. THE MANAGER STATED THAT THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS SKY OBSCURED WITH AN INDEFINITE CEILING. HE SAID THE VISIBILITY FOR RUNWAY 22 WAS .25 OF A MILE WHILE THE VISIBILITY FOR RUNWAY 4 WAS 1 MILE. THE PILOT NEVER OPENED HIS FLIGHT PLAN. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ABOUT AN HOUR LATER BY A MOTORIST ABOUT ONE HALF MILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT AND ABOUT 100 FEET BELOW THE RUNWAY ELEVATION. THE WRECKAGE PATH WAS MEASURED TO BE ABOUT 358 DEGREES MAGNETIC. GROUND SCAR MEASUREMENTS INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A RIGHT 10 DEGREE BANKED TURN IN A SLIGHT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT IMPACT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.