Piper PA-30 N8238Y

Summary

On 15 November 1993 at about 19:53 local time, a Piper PA-30 registered N8238Y was involved in an accident near Brea, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 November 1993 at 19:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Brea, California, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-30

Registration

N8238Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fullerton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX94FA047

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S CHOICE OF AN INADEQUATE CRUISE ALTITUDE OVER ROLLING HILL TERRAIN WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH HELIUM BALLOONS AND AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL OUTLOOK.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING OVER ROLLING HILL TERRAIN AT A LOW ALTITUDE WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED A BUNDLE OF HELIUM BALLOONS. A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY THE AIRPLANE ENTERING A VERTICAL DIVE WHICH CONTINUED TO GROUND IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A 75-DEGREE NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE SPREADING THE WRECKAGE IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE THE FLIGHT PATH BEFORE ENCOUNTERING THE BALLOONS. THE AIRCRAFT DISINTEGRATED ON IMPACT AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION FOUND DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.