What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The PIC of N69DG made an instrument takeoff from rwy 26R with 1/4 mile visibility, 100 ft ceiling and fog. As the pilot began a climbing left turn to the pdz VOR, he momentarily moved the electric trim switch to the down position to establish a shallow climb. Then, the pilot looked down to tune his communication radio to socal TRACON departure frequency. When the pilot looked up, he flew the aircraft through power lines and crash landed in a parking lot. The pilot and two passengers were not injured as they successfully escaped from the burning wreckage. (.19) on November 10, 2002, about 0800 pacific standard time, a Beech A36, N69DG, collided with power lines during an instrument departure climb out to visual flight rules (VFR) conditions on top from the Chino Airport, Chino, California. The airplane was operated by the pilot/owner under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The commercial rated pilot and the two passengers were not injured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, and the aircraft was operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight or iginated at 0755, and was destined for palm springs, California. The pilot stated to a deputy at the scene that he was on top [of the fog], looked down at his instruments, and then looked up and saw the power lines. The airplane crashed in a pasture approximately 1 1/2 miles southwest of the airport. The airplane was consumed by post impact fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PIC OF N69DG MADE AN INSTRUMENT TAKEOFF FROM RWY 26R WITH 1/4 MILE VISIBILITY, 100 FT CEILING AND FOG. AS THE PILOT BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TO THE PDZ VOR, HE MOMENTARILY MOVED THE ELECTRIC TRIM SWITCH TO THE DOWN POSITION TO ESTABLISH A SHALLOW CLIMB. THEN, THE PILOT LOOKED DOWN TO TUNE HIS COMMUNICATION RADIO TO SOCAL TRACON DEPARTURE FREQUENCY. WHEN THE PILOT LOOKED UP, HE FLEW THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH POWER LINES AND CRASH LANDED IN A PARKING LOT. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED AS THEY SUCCESSFULLY ESCAPED FROM THE BURNING WRECKAGE. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 10, 2002, ABOUT 0800 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A BEECH A36, N69DG, COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES DURING AN INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE CLIMB OUT TO VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) CONDITIONS ON TOP FROM THE CHINO AIRPORT, CHINO, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT/OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT AND THE TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT OR IGINATED AT 0755, AND WAS DESTINED FOR PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT STATED TO A DEPUTY AT THE SCENE THAT HE WAS ON TOP [OF THE FOG], LOOKED DOWN AT HIS INSTRUMENTS, AND THEN LOOKED UP AND SAW THE POWER LINES. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A PASTURE APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONSUMED BY POST IMPACT FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.