ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 36420
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| Date: | Friday 6 November 1998 |
| Time: | 16:54 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28R-200 |
| Owner/operator: | Paul M. Splan |
| Registration: | N2737R |
| MSN: | 28R-35276 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4334 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-360-C1C |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Bishop, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Las Vegas, NV (KVGT) |
| Merced, CA (KMCE) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that he intended to fly a direct route from his departure point to the destination, a route that crossed the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Recorded radar data showed the aircraft on a northwesterly heading as it approached the mountain range from the east, cruising VFR at 14,500 feet msl, and approaching 13,558-foot Mount Goddard. Forecast winds aloft were northwesterly approximately 50 knots. In the 9 minutes before the aircraft disappeared from radar, mode-C decoded altitude data showed the aircraft descended from 14,500 feet to 13,200 feet. The wreckage was located near where radar contact was lost at the 13,200-foot level on the mountain side. Two pilot reports stated that the mountain peaks were obscured in clouds. The aircraft cruised above 12,500 feet for more than 50 minutes prior to the accident. There was no supplemental breathing oxygen aboard.
Probable Cause: The failure of the pilot-in-command, after encountering a downdraft, to maneuver and maintain clearance from mountainous terrain. Physical impairment due to hypoxia was a factor in the accident.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX99FA028
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 04-Apr-2024 14:30 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report] |
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