Cessna 172N N734FB

Summary

On 9 June 1996 at about 15:46 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N734FB, operated by JIM Kuhn & BOB Martin, was involved in an accident near Bermuda Dunes, 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

9 June 1996 at 15:46

Classification

Accident

Location

Bermuda Dunes, California, United States

Nearest airport

Bermuda Dunes (UDD)

Coordinates

33.7110, -116.2300

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N734FB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

JIM Kuhn & BOB Martin

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96FA223

3 people died.

the pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol and drugs (methamphetamine, amphetamine, & marijuana), his excessive maneuvering (pull-up) after making a touch-and-go landing, and his failure to maintain sufficient airspeed, which resulted in a stall and subsequent collision with the terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness said the aircraft (acft) landed on runway (rwy) 28, then took off again. After lift-off, the acft was observed to accelerate over the rwy, then climb in an extreme nose high attitude. While still in a climb, it suddenly rolled to the right & pitched forward. The acft continued in a nose low, steep descent until it disappeared from view. A flight instructor (CFI) observed the pilot (plt) on a previous takeoff. He said that on that flight, the plt pulled the acft's nose up until the acft almost stalled, then he leveled the acft. The CFI warned the plt, but said the plt replied that he had only slowed to 50 kts. The plt was scheduled to surrender his plt's certificate for a 120-day suspension following a 2nd conviction for motor vehicle violations (DUI). A toxicology test of the plt's blood showed 113 mg/dl (0.113%) ethanol, 0.862 mcg/ml methamphetamine (stimulant), 0.032 mcg/ml amphetamine (stimulant), 0.005 mcg/ml tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (metabolite of marijuana), & an unreported level of tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana). Tests also showed the plt had 164 mg/dl (0.164%) ethanol in urine & 143 mg/dl (0.143%) ethanol in vitreous fluid. A test of the passenger's blood showed 0.009 mcg/ml tetrahydrocannabinol, 0.028 mcg/ml tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid, 0.878 mcg/ml methamphetamine, & 0.092 mcg/ml amphetamine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.