ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 35149
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: | Sunday 3 April 1988 |
| Time: | 19:06 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R |
| Owner/operator: | Tanner Construction |
| Registration: | N6ET |
| MSN: | 31-7612012 |
| Engine model: | LYCOMING TIO-540-F2BD |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Orinda, Contra Costa County, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Redding Municipal Airport, Redding, California (RDD/KRDD) |
| San Jose International Airport, San Jose, California (SJC/KSJC) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT CIRCLING IN A VALLEY BENEATH A LOW CLOUD LAYER & BELOW THE SURROUNDING HILLTOPS. THEY ESTIMATED THE CEILING WAS 400 FEET OBSCURED. TWO WITNESSES SAID THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED CLOUDS BEFORE IT CRASHED. A 3RD WITNESS, WHO WAS A PILOT, SAID THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE WHEN IT APPROACHED RISING/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN; HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED A STEEP CLIMBING TURN & STALLED AFTER MAKING 2 COMPLETE TURNS.
IMPACT OCCURRED IN A NOSE LOW, LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE FAA HAD ISSUED THE PILOT A SPECIAL 3RD CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AFTER HE HAD QUINTUPLE HEART BYPASS SURGERY. HE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE GOTTEN "QUITE ANGRY' BEFORE THE FLIGHT", WHEN 2 PASSENGERS WERE LATE.
A PATHOLOGIST BELIEVED THE PILOT'S DEATH MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO ARTERIOSCLEROTIC HEART DISEASE; HOWEVER, THIS WAS NOT VERIFIED. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE AN INSTRUMENT RATING & NO RECORD OF A PRE-FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING WAS FOUND.
ALL FIVE PERSONS ON BOARD [PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS] WERE KILLED. THE REGISTRATION N6ET WAS CANCELLED BY THE FAA ON AUGUST 16 1990
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: LAX88FA148 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001213X25483&key=1
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=6ET
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20170806183604/http://www.baaa-acro.com:80/1988/archives/crash-of-a-piper-pa-31-navajo-chieftain-in-orinda-5-killed/
4. http://planecrashmap.com/plane/ca/N6ET/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 16-Jun-2015 21:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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