20051210029049A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32RT-300 · Visalia, CA · December 10, 2005

Date: December 10, 2005 · 11:31 local
Place: Visalia, CA
Phase of flight: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N3039B
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX06FA054
Reported as: Piper PA32RT300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N3039BRegistration cancelled Sep 25, 2012 · Piper PA-32RT-300S/N 32R-7985019 · Built 1978 Airframe modelPiper PA-32RT-300 Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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) N3039B, a PA-32RT-300 departed reid hill-view (krhv) airport san jose, California VFR on 12/10/2005 at 10:26 am PST with a destination of Visalia (kvis), California. Pilot did not receive a weather briefing or file a flight plan prior to departure. There are no atc/fss records to indicate that a weather briefing was requested or received while enroute to kvis. Weather at kvis was reported to be 100 ft. overcast and 1/4 mile visibility when N3039B departed krhv and upon arrival at kvis. Pilot was instrument rated but did not contact ATC for any type of ATC services. Last ATC communication with N3039B was at departure from rhv. Pilot crossed over the vis VOR heading east-southeast, turned further southeast and made a course reversal back to the vis VOR and then flew northwest bound descending until impacting the ground at 11:31 am PST 6 NM northwest of the vis VOR. Aircraft caught fire after impact. Both occupants were fatally injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) N3039B, A PA-32RT-300 DEPARTED REID HILL-VIEW (KRHV) AIRPORT SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA VFR ON 12/10/2005 AT 10:26 AM PST WITH A DESTINATION OF VISALIA (KVIS), CALIFORNIA. PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE A WEATHER BRIEFING OR FILE A FLIGHT PLAN PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THERE ARE NO ATC/FSS RECORDS TO INDICATE THAT A WEATHER BRIEFING WAS REQUESTED OR RECEIVED WHILE ENROUTE TO KVIS. WEATHER AT KVIS WAS REPORTED TO BE 100 FT. OVERCAST AND 1/4 MILE VISIBILITY WHEN N3039B DEPARTED KRHV AND UPON ARRIVAL AT KVIS. PILOT WAS INSTRUMENT RATED BUT DID NOT CONTACT ATC FOR ANY TYPE OF ATC SERVICES. LAST ATC COMMUNICATION WITH N3039B WAS AT DEPARTURE FROM RHV. PILOT CROSSED OVER THE VIS VOR HEADING EAST-SOUTHEAST, TURNED FURTHER SOUTHEAST AND MADE A COURSE REVERSAL BACK TO THE VIS VOR AND THEN FLEW NORTHWEST BOUND DESCENDING UNTIL IMPACTING THE GROUND AT 11:31 AM PST 6 NM NORTHWEST OF THE VIS VOR. AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE AFTER IMPACT. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED.

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 LAX06FA054Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportKingsburg, CAThe pilot's in-flight decision to continue VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions during descent, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees and terrain. Fog, low ceiling, and obscuration were factors.Dec 10, 2005 · Destroyed