Piper PA-28-161 N2480Q

Summary

On 23 May 1998 at about 04:07 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N2480Q, operated by Inbound Aviation, was involved in an accident near Half Moon Bay, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 May 1998 at 04:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Half Moon Bay, California, United States

Nearest airport

Half Moon Bay (HAF)

Coordinates

37.4399, -122.4103

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N2480Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Inbound Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Half Moon Bay → San Jose

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX98LA172

4 people died.

The non-instrument rated pilot's loss of aircraft control due to spatial disorientation in dark night conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated pilot rented the aircraft and was to return the it that evening. A pilot-witness recognized the accident aircraft parked on the ramp and reported that the aircraft was no longer there at 2130 when he departed. The pilot-witness stated that the weather conditions were 1,200 feet overcast, with tops at 2,500 feet, and a very dark night. Radar data disclosed a 1200 code secondary beacon at a mode C reported altitude of 300 feet just off the north end of the runway at 2103:03. The next 12 beacon returns depicted a climbing left downwind departure that achieved an altitude of 1,700 feet. The final return displayed a 900-foot altitude at 2106:03. Several ground witnesses located on the shore south of the airport reported they heard an approaching plane and saw it flying low northbound along the beach just after 2100. They could not see the color of the aircraft, but could see the lights on its wings. The witnesses stated that the engine made a sputtering sound. The airplane continued north and began to climb. They heard a high pitched whining sound and the plane rolled left and out of their sight. The witnesses then reported that they heard a loud crash. The next day, a fisherman pulled aboard a seat that was determined to be from a Piper PA-28. Fragmented human remains were found by search units washed up on shore, with articles of clothing identified by family members as belonging to the pilot. A wallet containing identification from one of the passengers was also later found on the beach.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.