Piper PA-28-181 N1054H

Summary

On 7 May 1992 at about 02:15 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N1054H, operated by Air Desert Pacific Inc., was involved in an accident near Cucamonga, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 May 1992 at 02:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Cucamonga, California, United States

Coordinates

34.0006, -117.6795

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N1054H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Air Desert Pacific Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bermuda Dunes → La Verne

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92FA204

3 people died.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, HIS PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT DUE TO DRUGS, AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ABOUT 40 MI EAST OF HIS DESTINATION, THE PILOT CALLED ONTARIO APPROACH FOR FLIGHT FOLLOWING THROUGH THE ONTARIO ARSA. HE WAS ASKED IF HE HAD THE CURRENT WEATHER FOR HIS DESTINATION, TO WHICH HE ANSWERED NO. HE WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS VFR WITH 3 MI VISIBILITY IN HAZE. THE PILOT REQUESTED THE CEILING IN THE L.A. BASIN, AND WAS ADVISED THAT LA VERNE WAS MEASURED 2,300 OVERCAST. TWICE DURING RADIO EXCHANGES WITH CONTROLLERS, THE PILOT GAVE ALTITUDES WHICH WERE OFF BY 1,000 FT OR MORE. HE ATTEMPTED TWICE TO DESCEND THROUGH A HOLE IN THE OVERCAST WITHOUT SUCCESS. HE THEN ADVISED CONTROLLERS THAT HE WOULD REVERSE COURSE BACK TO BANNING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER HE REVERSED HIS COURSE BACK TOWARD LA VERNE. ABOUT 6 MIN LATER RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS NORTHEAST OF HIS DESTINATION. ABOUT 20 SEC BEFORE CONTACT WAS LOST THE PILOT RADIOED 'ITS GETTING PRETTY THICK UP HERE.' THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT 3100 FT MSL. TOXICOLOGICAL RESULTS WERE POSITIVE FOR METHAMPHETAMINE (0.50 MG/L BLOOD), AMPHETAMINE, AND DIPHENHYDRAMINE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.