Piper PA-24-250 N6884P

Summary

On 24 April 1993 at about 02:32 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N6884P, operated by James E. Brown, was involved in an accident near Twin Peaks, 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

24 April 1993 at 02:32

Classification

Accident

Location

Twin Peaks, California, United States

Coordinates

34.2293, -117.2307

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N6884P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James E. Brown

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → La Verne

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93FA185

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC, THE RADAR CONTROLLER'S ISSUANCE OF INCORRECT TERRAIN INFORMATION, THE CONTROLLER'S FAILURE TO ISSUE A LOW ALTITUDE SAFETY ALERT, AND THE CONTROLLER'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SERVICES.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

NEARING COMPLETION OF HIS FLIGHT ACROSS THE U.S., AND ABOUT 33 MI FROM HIS DESTINATION, THE PILOT DESCENDED AND ENCOUNTERED AN OVERCAST LAYER. UNABLE TO SEE THE UNDERLYING RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND UNCERTAIN OF HIS EXACT POSITION, THE PILOT REQUESTED ATC ASSISTANCE. HE ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE HAD A 'HOLE' AND WAS GOING THROUGH IT. THE AIRPLANE WAS RADAR IDENTIFIED. THE CONTROLLER APPROVED THE DESCENT AND ADVISED THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN VFR AT ALL TIMES. IN RESPONSE TO THE PILOT'S INQUIRY 'HOW LOW IS THE TERRAIN UNDER ME RIGHT NOW?', THE CONTROLLER STATED 'THE TERRAIN IS NO FACTOR FOR YOU SIR.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE PILOT STATED HE WAS '...LOSING VFR.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT 5,550 FT MSL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.