ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 36811
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| Date: | Wednesday 26 October 1988 |
| Time: | 19:00 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-31P-350 Mojave |
| Owner/operator: | Charlie Gill Enterprises Inc |
| Registration: | N79HW |
| MSN: | 31P-8414021 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 660 hours |
| Engine model: | LYCOMING TIO-540-V2AD |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 1 mile from Redlands Airport, San Bernardino County, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Imperial County Airport (IPL/KIPL) Imperial County, California |
| Redlands Municipal Airport (REI/KREI) Redlands, San Bernardino County, | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
THE AIRPORT IS NEXT TO NORTON AIR FORCE BASE. THE WEATHER ON THE DARK MOONLESS NIGHT WAS 1 MILE VISIBILITY IN FOG AND HAZE. THE PILOT COMPLETED AN ILS TO A LOW APPROACH AT NORTON AFB AND RECEIVED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE TO PROCEED TO REDLANDS. THE CIRCLING MDA FOR NORTON IS 1,700 FEET AMSL. NORTON AFB ELEVATION IS 1,100 FEET AMSL, AND THE REDLANDS AIRPORT ELEVATION IS 1,572 FEET AMSL. THE CIRCLING MDA FOR NORTON IS 138 FEET ABOVE THE REDLANDS AIRPORT ELEVATION.
THE RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE FLIGHT DESCENDED TO 1,800 FEET ON THE ILS, THEN THE MODE C VARIED BETWEEN 1,700 AND 1,600 FEET. THE LAST RADAR RETURN WAS ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE REDLANDS AIRPORT AT 1,600 FEET AMSL.
A WITNESS ON THE AIRPORT SAW THE AIRCRAFT FLY OVER RUNWAY 8 IN A SOUTH TO NORTH DIRECTION, 'LOW AND FAST.' THE WITNESS HEARD THE CRASH SOUNDS IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER. EVIDENCE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND IN A 42 DEGREE LEFT BANK IN A SLIGHT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. FEW GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTS EXIST IN THE AREA, AND THE PILOT HAD MINIMAL TOTAL NIGHT TIME FLYING EXPERIENCE.
CAUSE: THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT SELECTION OF AN INAPPROPRIATE ALTITUDE FOR THE ATTEMPTED NIGHT SPECIAL VFR CIRCLE TO LAND MANEUVER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DARK NIGHT, RESTRICTED VISIBILITIES AND LACK OF GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTS. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LIMITED TOTAL NIGHT EXPERIENCE.
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: LAX89FA025 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001213X27083&key=1
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=79HW
3. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.baaa-acro.com/1988/archives/crash-of-a-piper-pa-31-navajo-chieftain-in-redlands-2-killed/]
4. http://planecrashmap.com/plane/ca/N79HW/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 18-Jun-2015 17:47 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Jun-2015 17:50 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Departure airport] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Oct-2017 23:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative] |
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