ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 37400
Last updated: 19 May 2013
This information is added by users of ASN. ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | 22-OCT-1994 |
| Time: | 2358 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-38-112 |
| Operator: | private |
| Registration: | N2326G |
| C/n / msn: | 38-79A0498 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Kettleman City , CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Compton, CA (CPM) |
| Fresno, CA (FCH) |
DURING A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT AND CRASHED ON A 5-DEGREE DOWN-SLOPING OPEN FIELD. IMPACT OCCURRED IN AN ESTIMATED 45 TO 60 DEGREE, RIGHT BANK, DESCENDING TURN. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND. THE AIRPLANE'S LAST RECORDED ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS IN OCTOBER OF 1991. THE STUDENT PILOT'S CERTIFICATE HAD NOT BEEN ENDORSED FOR SOLO FLIGHT. AN ACQUAINTANCE AND A FAMILY MEMBER REPORTED THE PILOT HAD EXPERIENCED A STROKE ABOUT 4 YEARS EARLIER; HOWEVER, THE PILOT DID NOT NOTE THIS DURING APPLICATION FOR A THIRD-CLASS AVIATION MEDICAL/STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE. A PATHOLOGIST REPORTED THE PILOT HAD EXPERIENCED 'ARTERIOSCLEROTIC HYPERTENSIVE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE WITH LEFT MIDDLE CEREBRAL SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE' AND THAT THIS MAY HAVE IMPAIRED HIS ABILITY TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE. THREE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS WERE FOUND IN THE PILOT'S EFFECTS. ONE OF THESE CONTAINED A CAUTION, 'MAY CAUSE DROWSINESS;' HOWEVER, THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT VERIFY RECENT USE OF DRUG(S); A TOXICOLOGY TEST FOR ETHANOL WAS NEGATIVE. CAUSE: FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF QUALIFICATION/INSTRUCTOR ENDORSEMENT FOR A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AT NIGHT.
Sources:
NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001206X02458
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description