Piper PA-32S-300 N312AG
9 November 2008 · Forest Falls, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 9 November 2008 at about 19:25 local time, a Piper PA-32S-300 registered N312AG, operated by Douglas R. Bowles, was involved in an accident near Forest Falls, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 19:25
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Forest Falls, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Hesperia Airport (L26)
- Coordinates
- 34.1017, -116.8339
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32S-300
- Registration
- N312AG
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Douglas R. Bowles
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Baja → Hesperia
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR09FA034
People
4 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent impact with mountainous terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The flight departed in visual flight rule (VFR) flight conditions on a cross-country flight back to the pilot's home airport. About 35 miles southeast of the destination airport, the airplane impacted the northwest side of an 11,000-foot mountain approximately 150 feet below the mountain's crest. Based on an analysis of the meteorological conditions existing at the time of the accident and in the vicinity of the accident site, the cloud bases were near 7,000 feet with the cloud tops above 15,000 feet. An Airman's Information (AIRMET) report for icing and turbulence had been issued for the time of the accident, in the accident area. An airframe and engine inspection revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot had a history, known to the FAA, of an abnormal heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation) for which he was taking a blood thinner to reduce stroke risk, and a color vision deficiency. The accident forces prevented the evaluation of any pre-existing disease, and it is unclear what, if any, relevance the pilot’s cardiac abnormalities or color vision deficiency had to the accident.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-32S accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul 2012 | Piper PA-32S-300 | Adelanto, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 Aug 2014 | Piper PA-32S-300 | Queenstown, New Zealand, New Zealand | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 20 Oct 1979 | Piper PA-32S | W.springfield, Massachusetts, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 6 Jan 1967 | Piper PA-32S | Vero Beach, Florida, United States | Piper Aircraft | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr 2008 | Cessna 172S | San Luis Obispo, California, United States | Pacific Aerocademy | No injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 2008 | Cessna TU206G | Groveland, California, United States | Charles D Hartwell | Minor injuries | - |
| 1 Jan 2008 | Piper PA 28-180 | Sonoma, California, United States | Timothy Bennett | No injuries | - |
| 6 May 2008 | Cessna 152 | Redding, California, United States | Kenneth A Tyler | No injuries | - |
| 17 Dec 2008 | Kaman K-1200 | Santa Clarita, California, United States | Superior Leasing LLC | Fatal | - |
| 26 Jul 2008 | Ercoupe 415-C | Corona, California, United States | Herbert Guiness | No injuries | - |