20020406005529A

(-23)On April 6, 2002, a Piper PA-28-180 aircraft, N7839W, departed the visalia airport on a pleasure flight when it crashed in steep terrain approx. 40 miles east of three rivers, CA. There were known thunderstorms and turbulence within the geographical area of the crash site. The national transportation safety board inspector-in-charge arrived at the scene and conducted his investigation of this accident. The federal aviation administration inspector-in-charge was not required for this accident due to the steep terrain involved and the condition of te aircraft after impact. (.19)on April 6, 2002, about 1540 pacific standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N7839W, collided with mountainous terrain during a flight over sequoia national park, near three rivers, California. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR part 91. The private pilot and three passengers all received fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed. The personal flight departed visalia, California, about 1459. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the departure point, and no flight plan was filed. When the airplane failed to return to visalia at the expected time, family members notified authorities. Limited information was available at the start of the search. The visalia airport is uncontrolled and there had been no contact made with any federal aviation administration air traffic control facility. An airport search was performed and a request for radar assistance was made by the civil air patrol. An estimated departure time was obtained from witnesses located at the visalia airport. Recorded radar data was examined for the approximate departure time of an aircraft from visalia. A radar track was developed showing an aircraft off of visalia, at 1459:57.the target was tracked to the town of ivanhoe where it circled and then proceeded south to the east side of tulare, then towards the canyon entrance to the sequoia national park. The radar track ended at 1540:09. Park service officials reported cloud cover in the park with bases estimated about 5,000 ft mean sea level (MSL). A ground and air search was conducted over the mountainous area with weather delays hampering the search. On April 10, 2002, about 1130, a military helicopter located the accident site about 8 miles east-southeast of morro rock near potwisha, about 5,900 feet MSL. The accident site was located in tall timber with occasional snow beds northeast of the mountain's crest of 9,180 feet. Fragmented wreckage was scattered over an area of about 150 feet. A fire had consumed the center section of the airplane. The wing panels revealed tree trunk radius impacts with bark transfers and severing of wing skins, landing gears, and panels. One propeller blade had light damage and the other had major damage with trailing edge "s" bending and the loss of about 4 inches of the blade tip. The wreckage was recovered for a detailed examination.