20031224034459A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-34-200T · Avalon, CA · December 24, 2003

Date: December 24, 2003 · 10:20 local
Place: Avalon, CA
Airport: Catalina Airport
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N3747U
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX04FA077
Reported as: Piper PA34200T
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 5

N3747URegistration cancelled Sep 12, 2013 · Piper PA-34-200TS/N 34-7570287 Airframe modelPiper PA-34-200T

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) This flight was a 'checkout' flight conducted by the ATP and CFI rated owner of the aircraft for a commercial and CFI rated potential renter. This check was done in IMC conditions. While executing the vor-b approach at kavx, the pilot failed to initiate a climb at the missed approach point (mafpi). The aircraft impacted terrain 2.7 miles beyond mafpi at an elevation about 20' below the mda. There was no indication of any malfunction of the aircraft. Just prior to his frequency change to the UNICOM frequency, the pilot was advised of traffic ahead and below.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THIS FLIGHT WAS A 'CHECKOUT' FLIGHT CONDUCTED BY THE ATP AND CFI RATED OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT FOR A COMMERCIAL AND CFI RATED POTENTIAL RENTER. THIS CHECK WAS DONE IN IMC CONDITIONS. WHILE EXECUTING THE VOR-B APPROACH AT KAVX, THE PILOT FAILED TO INITIATE A CLIMB AT THE MISSED APPROACH POINT (MAFPI). THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN 2.7 MILES BEYOND MAFPI AT AN ELEVATION ABOUT 20' BELOW THE MDA. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. JUST PRIOR TO HIS FREQUENCY CHANGE TO THE UNICOM FREQUENCY, THE PILOT WAS ADVISED OF TRAFFIC AHEAD AND BELOW.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX04FA077Accident · 5 fatalField investigationFinal reportAvalon, CAThe failure of both pilots to properly execute the published missed approach procedure.Dec 24, 2003 · Destroyed