What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed shortly after takeoff, 2 POB suffered fatal inj., acft was destroyed by fire. (.4)the non-instrument rated private pilot was cleared for takeoff with a northbound departure under a special visual flight rules clearance. The ceiling was 400 feet above ground level (AGL) and the visibility 5 miles. A few minutes after takeoff the pilot reported his position as clear of class d airspace. The controller told him he could remain on frequency in case he needed to contact the tower due to weather. He had previously been informed that weather conditions were lower north of the airport. An eyewitness reported seeing a northbound aircraft beneath the clouds flying at an estimated altitude of 200 feet AGL. The controller attempted to contact the pilot without success. As the control tower operator was trying to reestablish communications he began receiving an emergency locator transmitter signal. The aircraft was subsequently located by emergency rescue personnel on the southern slope of rising terrain north of the airport. The airplane impacted the hillside at an elevation of 470 feet mean sea level. An examina tion of the aircraft failed to identify any mechanical discrepancies. The pilot did not have a current biennial flight review. (-23) aircraft departed Salinas municipal airport (sns) to the north on a "special VFR". The weather was reported to be 400 overcast, 5 miles visibility, mis. Witness observed the airplane 4 miles north of the airport at 200 feet AGL in a northbound direction, remaining clear of clouds. At 1029 PDT the aircraft collided with the rising terrain at 500 feet MSL causing fatal injuries to the pilot and one passenger. There were no indications of fuel exhaustion or mechanical malfunctions at the time fo the collision.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, 2 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJ., ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. (.4)THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF WITH A NORTHBOUND DEPARTURE UNDER A SPECIAL VISUAL FLIGHT RULES CLEARANCE. THE CEILING WAS 400 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) AND THE VISIBILITY 5 MILES. A FEW MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT REPORTED HIS POSITION AS CLEAR OF CLASS D AIRSPACE. THE CONTROLLER TOLD HIM HE COULD REMAIN ON FREQUENCY IN CASE HE NEEDED TO CONTACT THE TOWER DUE TO WEATHER. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INFORMED THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE LOWER NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. AN EYEWITNESS REPORTED SEEING A NORTHBOUND AIRCRAFT BENEATH THE CLOUDS FLYING AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 200 FEET AGL. THE CONTROLLER ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE PILOT WITHOUT SUCCESS. AS THE CONTROL TOWER OPERATOR WAS TRYING TO REESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS HE BEGAN RECEIVING AN EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER SIGNAL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY LOCATED BY EMERGENCY RESCUE PERSONNEL ON THE SOUTHERN SLOPE OF RISING TERRAIN NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE HILLSIDE AT AN ELEVATION OF 470 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. AN EXAMINA TION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO IDENTIFY ANY MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES. THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SALINAS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (SNS) TO THE NORTH ON A "SPECIAL VFR". THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED TO BE 400 OVERCAST, 5 MILES VISIBILITY, MIS. WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE 4 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT AT 200 FEET AGL IN A NORTHBOUND DIRECTION, REMAINING CLEAR OF CLOUDS. AT 1029 PDT THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE RISING TERRAIN AT 500 FEET MSL CAUSING FATAL INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF FUEL EXHAUSTION OR MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS AT THE TIME FO THE COLLISION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8820H · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.