Piper PA-28RT N355LC

Summary

On 3 April 2011 at about 14:15 local time, a Piper PA-28RT registered N355LC, operated by Andy Testman, was involved in an accident near Cherry Valley, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 April 2011 at 14:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Cherry Valley, California, United States

Coordinates

33.9822, -117.0108

Aircraft

Piper PA-28RT

Registration

N355LC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Andy Testman

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Banning → Redlands

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11FA182

1 person died.

The pilot’s continued flight in an area of low ceiling and visibility, which resulted in a collision with mountainous/hilly terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses near the accident site reported hearing the airplane and that it seemed to be flying at low level; the engine sounded like it was operating normally. Neither witness could see the airplane because of low clouds, which were touching the tops of the ridgelines in the hilly terrain. Visibility was about 1 mile or less in fog or heavy mist. Radar data displayed a single target in the vicinity of the accident site, which was likely the accident airplane. The target made multiple tight right and left turns, and the altitude varied between 3,900 feet and 2,500 feet mean sea level. The target subsequently began a tight right descending turn until the target dropped off radar in the vicinity of the accident site. The accident site was in the foothills of mountainous terrain and located on a ridgeline. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot entered the clouds and while maneuvering failed to maintain sufficient altitude to clear the mountainous terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.