# Accident 19980815020879A: Tmpson NAVION*, Salinas, CA, August 15, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 15, 1998, 10:30 local time
- Place: Salinas, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.7606° N, 121.6497° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7606&lon=-121.6497&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8820H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8820H-2017-06-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: North American NAVION (registry code 6150130, https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-navion) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental E225 series (registry code 17015, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e225-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TMPSON NAVION*
- Reported engine: CONT E2254
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 2,505 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98FA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA264) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980815020879A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98FA264](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA264), Aug 15, 1998: North American Navion (N8820H), Salinas, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's attempt to continue visual flight operations into an area of known instrument meteorological conditions resulting in controlled flight into rising terrain.

## Other reports on N8820H (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19931228047369I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19931228047369I), Dec 28, 1993: Tmpson NAVION* (N8820H), Camarillo, CA, Minor damage. Pilot distracted by traffic forgot to lower landing gear. Landed gear up.
- [Incident 19840616046989I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840616046989I), Jun 16, 1984: Tmpson NAVIONA (N8820H), Salinas, CA, Minor damage. Right main gear collapsed on the landing roll. No defects. Possible inadvertent retraction on rollout.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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