# Accident 20030609012609A: Gulstm 112TCA, Santa Nella, CA, June 9, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 9, 2003, 09:00 local time
- Place: Santa Nella, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.0461° N, 121.2586° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0461&lon=-121.2586&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4696W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4696W-2005-04-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Rockwell International 112TCA (registry code 7630307, https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-112tca) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming T0-360 series (registry code 41528, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-t0-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GULSTM 112TCA
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 430 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX03FA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA187) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030609012609A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT MADE A VFR DEPARTURE FROM REID-HILLVIEW AIRPORT AROUND 0800 LOCAL. THE CEILING WAS REPORTED TO BE 1300 FT. N4696W DEPARTED STRAIGHT OUT TOWARD PACHECO PASS WHICH HAS A SUMMIT OF 1340FT ON HWY 156, THE HILL TOPS WERE OBSCURED. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT SITE, AT ROUGHLY 1450FT, INDICATED A WINGS LEVEL, NOSE SLIGHTLY HIGH ATTITUDE AT POINT OF IMPACT. THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND THE FLAPS ALSO APPEARED TO BE EXTENDED ABOUT 10 DEGREES OR SO. THE PROPELLER DEFORMATION INDICATED A LOW POWER SETTING AT TIME OF IMPACT, AND THE GENERAL FUSELAGE DAMAGE WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. A FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY CHECK WAS PERFORMED, AND ALL PRIMARY CONTROL CABLES WERE INTACT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE RUDDER CABLES, THEY HAD BEEN BURNT THROUGH POSTIMPACT. THE ELEVATOR TRIM CABLES ALSO WERE BURNT THROUGHAT ABOUT THE SAME LONGITUDINAL LOCATION AS THE RUDDER CABLES. ALL INDICATIONS POINT TO A SLOW FLIGHT CONFIGURATION THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PRACTICE OF ATTEMPTING TO FLY BENEATH A CLOUD COVER THROUGH A MOUNTAIN PASS THAT RESULTED IN A CLASSIC CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN (CFIT). BOTH THE PILOT AND THE CFII PASSENGER WERE INSTRUMENT RATED, BUT DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN, OR OBTAIN A WX BRIEFING.

## 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 LAX03FA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA187), Jun 9, 2003: Rockwell International Aero-Commander 112TC (N4696W), Santa Nella, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision by conducting VFR flight into IMC, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance. Contributing factors were low clouds, fog, and mountainous terrain.

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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