19970612014039A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 210K · Topanga, CA · June 12, 1997

Date: June 12, 1997 · 12:12 local
Place: Topanga, CA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N8276M
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX97FA210
Reported as: Cessna 210K
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,962 total

N8276MRegistration cancelled Nov 13, 1998 · Cessna 210KS/N 21059276 Airframe modelCessna 210K

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The noinstrument rated pilot was familiar with the los angeles basin area. The weather was overcast with tops reported in excess of 5600 feet. The pilot was receiving radar flight following service as he descended in a southerly direction toward his destination, and he informed the controller that he was looking for a hole. The pilot then requested a special VFR clearance through the clouds, a request which was denied by the controller. Upon reaching 6000 feet he headed toward the ocean, informed the controller that he observed a little hole and requested that the controller monitor his progress in case I do have to go in. The controller advised the pilot to maintain VFR. The pilot continued descending and reported that is was hazy, he was still VFR and he thought he could make it. At 12

As the FAA filed it

THE NOINSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE LOS ANGELES BASIN AREA. THE WEATHER WAS OVERCAST WITH TOPS REPORTED IN EXCESS OF 5600 FEET. THE PILOT WAS RECEIVING RADAR FLIGHT FOLLOWING SERVICE AS HE DESCENDED IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION TOWARD HIS DESTINATION, AND HE INFORMED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR A HOLE. THE PILOT THEN REQUESTED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE THROUGH THE CLOUDS, A REQUEST WHICH WAS DENIED BY THE CONTROLLER. UPON REACHING 6000 FEET HE HEADED TOWARD THE OCEAN, INFORMED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE OBSERVED A LITTLE HOLE AND REQUESTED THAT THE CONTROLLER MONITOR HIS PROGRESS IN CASE I DO HAVE TO GO IN. THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN VFR. THE PILOT CONTINUED DESCENDING AND REPORTED THAT IS WAS HAZY, HE WAS STILL VFR AND HE THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE IT. AT 12

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX97FA210Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportTopanga, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain proper VFR altitude over mountainous terrain obscured by clouds, and his intentional descent into instrument meteorological weather conditions.Jun 12, 1997 · Destroyed