ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 34781
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither 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: | Saturday 8 April 1995 |
| Time: | 14:12 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28R-180 |
| Owner/operator: | S & S Flight Center |
| Registration: | N3904T |
| MSN: | 28R-30238 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2921 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-360-B1E |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Pollack Pines, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Bakersfield, CA (L45) |
| So. Lake Tahoe, CA (TVL | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THERE WAS NO RECORD THAT THE PILOT RECEIVED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING FROM THE FAA OR NWS SYSTEMS. THE PILOT TOLD THE OPERATOR HE CHANGED HIS DESTINATION DUE TO HIGH WINDS TO AN AREA WITH BETTER WEATHER. THE PILOT CHANGED HIS DESTINATION A SECOND TIME WITHOUT TELLING THE OPERATOR TO AN AIRPORT THAT WOULD REQUIRE CROSSING THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS. HIGH WINDS WERE ALSO FORECASTED FOR THE MOUNTAINS. A CENTER WEATHER WATCH WAS BROADCASTED BY APPROACH CONTROL, WHILE THE PILOT WAS ON THE FREQUENCY, FORECASTING MODERATE AND OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURBULENCE, STRONG UP-AND-DOWN DRAFTS, LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR, AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 KNOTS. THE CLOSEST WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION WAS UPWIND OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE STATION HAD TAKEN SIX SPECIAL WEATHER OBSERVATIONS IN ADDITION TO TWO SCHEDULED OBSERVATIONS DUE TO CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED DESCENDING UNCONTROLLED WITHOUT THE TAIL BY NUMEROUS WITNESSES. ICE WAS OBSERVED ON THE WINGS, IN AN INDUCTION HOSE, AND THE RAM AIR PORT OF THE PITOT STATIC SYSTEM AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
Probable Cause: The pilot's disregard of a hazardous weather advisory; his decision to fly into known adverse weather conditions; his failure to maintain control of the airplane with an accumulation of airframe ice; and his improper use of the flight controls during recovery from the inflight upset exceeding the airplane's stress limits. The adverse weather and airframe ice were factors in the accident.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX95FA157
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 09-Apr-2024 15:51 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation