ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 37799
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| Date: | Monday 29 November 1993 |
| Time: | 19:49 LT |
| Type: |  Mooney M20K |
| Owner/operator: | Baldwin, Gerald E. |
| Registration: | N5788U |
| MSN: | 25-0852 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1984 |
| Engine model: | CONTINENTAL TSIO-360-GB |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | June Lake, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Carson City, NV (O04) |
| Chino, CA (KCNO) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A 329 NAUTICAL MILE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINS AND DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN. ABOUT 88 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED, BUT WAS MISSING FOR ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS. IT WAS FOUND AT ABOUT THE 12,200 FOOT LEVEL OF A MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 2 MILES WEST OF THE DIRECT COURSE LINE FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT TO THE DESTINATION. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE OF AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP. WRECKAGE DEBRIS WAS FOUND OVER A 1,500 FOOT AREA. THE EMPENNAGE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE, BUT WAS NOT FOUND, EXCEPT THE RUDDER AND ELEVATOR COUNTERWEIGHTS WERE FOUND IN DEBRIS NORTH OF THE FUSELAGE. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AREA NAVIGATION SYSTEM, LORAN-C, AND A PORTABLE GPS. THE AUTOPILOT WAS FOUND ENGAGED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEAL THAT A PITCH TRIM SPRING IN THE AUTOPILOT PITCH SERVO HAD FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THE AVIONICS IN THE AIRPLANE BELONGED TO AN AIRPLANE THAT HAD BEEN REPORTED STOLEN. THERE WERE NO RECORDS FOUND OF ANY INSPECTIONS OR MAINTENANCE BEING PERFORMED ON THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE.
Probable Cause: THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO EXCEED ITS DESIGN LIMITS (AIRSPEED AND/OR STRESS LIMITS) AFTER INADVERTENTLY ENTERING A DESCENT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS (NIGHT OR LATE DUSK), THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE ADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE, AND FATIGUE FAILURE OF A PITCH TRIM SPRING IN THE AUTOPILOT PITCH SERVO.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX94FA278
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 15 September 1985 | N5788U | Nicholas Mendoza | 0 | Rosamond, CA | |
sub |
Location
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] |
| 12-Jan-2019 10:50 | BEAVERSPOTTER | Updated [Cn] |
| 10-Apr-2024 09:53 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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