Piper PA-28-140 N16503

Summary

On 30 October 2000 at about 16:10 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N16503 was involved in an accident near Gorman, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 October 2000 at 16:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Gorman, California, United States

Coordinates

34.7939, -118.8522

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N16503

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lancaster → Vancouver

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX01LA029

1 person died.

the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. A contributing factor was the pilot's use of impairing medications.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The single engine airplane collided with terrain in a right wing low, nose low attitude after the pilot lost control and stalled the airplane. The commercial pilot just received his instrument airplane flight instructor rating the day before the accident. He and his passenger departed on a cross-country visual flight rules (VFR) flight. The departure airport was reporting VFR conditions at the time of departure; however, weather observations in the vicinity of the accident site were reporting instrument flight rules weather conditions with low ceilings. Witnesses, who observed the accident, described the airplane flying low over an interstate and thought the airplane was attempting to land on the road. They described the airplane's wings as "shaking or vibrating," and "moving side to side" before it made sharp right turn and descended to ground impact. A post-accident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no pre-impact anomalies that would have affected its operation. Toxicological tests on the pilot revealed he was utilizing at least two different substances; one being a multisymptom cold reliever and the other being a nutritional supplement. Dextromethorphan and its metabolites, doxylamine, ephedrine and its metabolites, and acetaminophen were all detected in the pilot's system. Some of the aforementioned drugs impose impairing side effects, where others acted as stimulants. Adverse side effects of the medications and distraction or sensory disturbance as a result of the condition for which the medications were ingested, may have contributed to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.