20090301004619A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Diamon DA 40 · Arcata/Eureka, CA · March 1, 2009

Date: March 1, 2009 · 22:57 local
Place: Arcata/Eureka, CA
Airport: Arcata
Phase of flight: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N521DS
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09FA146
Reported as: Diamon DA40
Reported engine: Continental IO360*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 0 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N521DSRegistration cancelled Jul 24, 2009 · Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40S/N 40.621 · Built 2006 Airframe modelDiamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 Engine modelLycoming IO-360-M1A+Reciprocating

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) On March 1,2009, at 2257 pacific standard time, a diamond DA-40, N521DS, was lost from radar while executing an RNAV (GPS) approach to runway 14 at Arcata Airport, Arcata/Eureka, CA. A search for the aircraft, which was over the pacific ocean at the time it was lost from radar, was initiated on March 2, 2009. On March 5, 2009, small portions of the aircraft's structure were located on the beach about six miles north of the last radar hit. The comercial pilot and his passenger have not been found, and are assumed to have been killed in the accident sequence. The aircraft, which departed bakersfield, CA, about three and one-half hours prior to the accident, was registered to mitchell enterprises inc., and was being operated by the pilot at the time of the accident. The pilot filed and activated and instrument flight rules (IFR) flight from bakersfield to Arcata. There was no report of an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MARCH 1,2009, AT 2257 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A DIAMOND DA-40, N521DS, WAS LOST FROM RADAR WHILE EXECUTING AN RNAV (GPS) APPROACH TO RUNWAY 14 AT ARCATA AIRPORT, ARCATA/EUREKA, CA. A SEARCH FOR THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN AT THE TIME IT WAS LOST FROM RADAR, WAS INITIATED ON MARCH 2, 2009. ON MARCH 5, 2009, SMALL PORTIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT'S STRUCTURE WERE LOCATED ON THE BEACH ABOUT SIX MILES NORTH OF THE LAST RADAR HIT. THE COMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER HAVE NOT BEEN FOUND, AND ARE ASSUMED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH DEPARTED BAKERSFIELD, CA, ABOUT THREE AND ONE-HALF HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WAS REGISTERED TO MITCHELL ENTERPRISES INC., AND WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT FILED AND ACTIVATED AND INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT FROM BAKERSFIELD TO ARCATA. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF AN EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER (ELT) SIGNAL.

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 WPR09FA146Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportArcata, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude and glidepath while executing a night instrument approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's fatigue.Mar 2, 2009 · Destroyed