Beechcraft A36TC N36TV

Summary

On 2 October 2000 at about 03:10 local time, a Beechcraft A36TC registered N36TV was involved in an accident near San Juan Batist, 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

2 October 2000 at 03:10

Classification

Accident

Location

San Juan Batist, California, United States

Coordinates

36.1158, -119.6815

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36TC

Registration

N36TV

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mammoth Lakes → Watsonville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX01FA001

4 people died.

the pilot's in-flight decision to continue flight into instrument weather conditions at an altitude that did not maintain an adequate terrain clearance, which resulted in a collision with terrain. Factors were a dark night, clouds, fog, mountainous terrain, and lack of instrument rating.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane collided with mountainous/hilly terrain as the pilot descended in instrument conditions toward the destination airport. The non-instrument rated pilot was obtaining VFR flight advisories from Air Traffic Control, and told approach control that he intended to head for his destination in visual conditions. A few minutes later the pilot stated that he intended to circle down through a hole. At this time, approach lost radar contact at a mode C reported altitude of 3,500 feet on a southeasterly track in an area of hilly terrain where it is not uncommon to loose radar contact at that altitude or less. The controller assumed that he was losing the radar contact, terminated radar service, and approved a frequency change. The controller did not hear a response from the airplane. At 2009:29, the target was at a mode C reported altitude of 2,200 feet. By 2011:03, the target had turned left on a southwesterly track and was at a mode C reported altitude of 1,300 feet. This was the last recorded target for the flight's assigned secondary beacon code. The accident site elevation was about 1,000 feet. A resident who lived near the accident site reported that it was very foggy about the time of the accident, and estimated that the visibility was 100 feet..

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.