Aero Commander 100 N4042X

Summary

On 25 December 1993 at about 02:06 local time, a Aero Commander 100 registered N4042X, operated by GUY S. Quigley, was involved in an accident near Chico, California, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 December 1993 at 02:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Chico, California, United States

Nearest airport

Chico Municipal (CIC)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Aero Commander 100

Registration

N4042X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

GUY S. Quigley

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palo Alto → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX94LA079

1 person died.

ISSUANCE OF AN IMPROPER (SPECIAL VFR) CLEARANCE BY THE TOWER CONTROLLER, WHILE THE VISIBILITY WAS LESS THAN ONE MILE, CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, FOG, FAILURE OF THE CONTROLLER TO ADVISE THE PILOT OF THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT & 2 PASSENGERS WERE RETURNING TO CHICO AT NIGHT. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE DESTINATION WEATHER BEGAN TO DETERIORATE. THE PILOT REQUESTED & RECEIVED SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE INTO THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA (ATA), & WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 13L. MINUTES LATER, HE TRANSMITTED HE WAS 'A LITTLE HIGH' & WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO GO AROUND. THE CONTROLLER THEN APPROVED THE FLIGHT FOR 'RIGHT TRAFFIC.' THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ON FLAT TERRAIN ABOUT 1 MILE WEST OF THE AIRPORT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED IT IMPACTED IN A LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE WHILE ON A NORTHERLY HEADING. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. ABOUT 1 MINUTE BEFORE THE CONTROLLER ISSUED THE SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE, HE SENT A SPECIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION TO REDBLUFF FSS THAT THE WEATHER WAS: INDEFINITE CEILING; SKY OBSCURED; VISIBILITY ZERO. HE DID NOT TRANSMIT THIS INFO TO THE PILOT. HE CONTINUED TO APPROVE SPECIAL VFR OPERATIONS, ALTHOUGH HE COULD NOT SEE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY. TOWER WAS ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY & ABOUT 5/8 MILE FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.