20151017019249A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-180 · Palm Springs, CA · October 17, 2015

Date: October 17, 2015 · 15:52 local
Place: Palm Springs, CA
Airport: Palm Springs International
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4972J
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR16FA014
Reported as: Piper PA-28R-180
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N4972JRegistration cancelled Apr 24, 2018 · Piper PA-28R-180S/N 28R-30723 · Built 1968 Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-180 Engine modelLycoming I0360 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.

The aircraft departed Palm Springs (psp) airport at approx. 15:20 local time enroute to santa barbara. Psp radar showed several instances of 360 degree climbing turns near san gorgonio mountain. At approx. 15:52 the aircraft impacted the east side of the san gorgonio mountain heading north west (aprox 330 deg. Magnetic.) The elevation of the impact was at approx. 7,140 ft.

The impact was at high velocity with all debris forward of the impact area. Neither the engine nor the propeller departed the aircraft due to the angle of the terrain (approx. 25 deg uphill slope). The attitude of the aircraft was slight nose up. The forward half of the fuselage was completely incinerated back to the rear seats.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PALM SPRINGS (PSP) AIRPORT AT APPROX. 15:20 LOCAL TIME ENROUTE TO SANTA BARBARA. PSP RADAR SHOWED SEVERAL INSTANCES OF 360 DEGREE CLIMBING TURNS NEAR SAN GORGONIO MOUNTAIN. AT APPROX. 15:52 THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE EAST SIDE OF THE SAN GORGONIO MOUNTAIN HEADING NORTH WEST (APROX 330 DEG. MAGNETIC.) THE ELEVATION OF THE IMPACT WAS AT APPROX. 7,140 FT.

THE IMPACT WAS AT HIGH VELOCITY WITH ALL DEBRIS FORWARD OF THE IMPACT AREA. NEITHER THE ENGINE NOR THE PROPELLER DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO THE ANGLE OF THE TERRAIN (APPROX. 25 DEG UPHILL SLOPE). THE ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS SLIGHT NOSE UP. THE FORWARD HALF OF THE FUSELAGE WAS COMPLETELY INCINERATED BACK TO THE REAR SEATS.

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 WPR16FA014Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportMorongo Valley, CAThe non-instrument rated pilot's improper inflight decision-making to attempt to outclimb clouds along his planned route rather than reverse course, which resulted in his inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological conditions, spatial disorientation, and…Oct 17, 2015 · Destroyed