# Accident 20151222021559A: Piper PA-32R-301T, Castro Valley, CA, December 22, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 22, 2015, 11:27 local time
- Place: Castro Valley, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.6450° N, 121.9764° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6450&lon=-121.9764&mi=10
- Aircraft: N323PA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N323PA-2018-10-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32R-301T (registry code 7103220, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32R-301T
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540-AH1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR16FA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA042) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151222021559A

## Narrative

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

ON DECEMBER 22, 2015 AT 11:27 AM PACIFIC STANDARD TIME AIRCRAFT N323PA,  PIPER PA-32R-301, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR CASTRO VALLEY, CA. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR AN INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM (ILS) APPROACH TO THE OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT?S RUNWAY 28R.

ON DECEMBER 22, 2015 AT 11:22 AM PST THE PILOT OF N323PA CONTACTED ATC AND RECEIVED A CLEARANCE TO LAND AT THE OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RUNWAY 28R USING THE ILS APPROACH. INITIALLY THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT MAKE THE TURN TO LINE UP WITH THE APPROACH. THE ATC CONTROLLER GAVE SECOND INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO INTERSECT THE ILS. THE AIRCRAFT MADE THE TURN AND WAS SEEN ON RADAR TO WONDER BACK AND FORTH ALONG THE ILS PATH FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES. ATC QUESTIONED THE PILOT TO SEE IF HE WAS ABLE TO SEE THE AIRPORT AND HE SAID HE WAS ?STILL IN WEATHER? HE WAS QUESTIONED WHY HE WAS SOUTH OF THE LOCALIZER AND HE EXPLAINED HE WAS WORKING ON GETTING BACK TO IT. ATC QUESTIONED THE PILOT ABOUT BEING ON THE GLIDE SLOPE AND THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ABOVE THE GLIDESLOPE. AT THIS TIME ATC QUESTIONED HIS ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT SAID, ?I?M AT TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED.? THE RADAR THEN SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT MAKE A 90 DEGREE TURN TO THE SOUTH. THE ACT CONTROLLER IMMEDIATELY REPLIES, ?LOW ALTITUDE ALERT, NOVEMBER THREE PAPA ALPHA THE MINIMUM VECTORING ALTITUDE IN YOUR AREA IS THREE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED, CANCEL YOUR APPROACH CLEARANCE, TURN RIGHT HEADING THREE ZERO ZERO, CLIMB AND MAINTAIN FOUR THOUSAND FEET. THE AIRCRAFT IS SHOWN ON RADAR TO CONTINUE HEADDING SOUTH. ATC CONTACTS N323PA AND QUESTIONS IF HE IS TURNING AND CLIMBING. AT THIS POINT THE PILOT REPLIES HE IS AND THE AIRCRAFT IS SEEN ON RADAR TURNING 180 DEGREES TO THE NORTH AND START TO CLIMB. SECONDS LATER THE PILOT CONTACTS ATC AND STATES, ?I?M LOOSING IT?. THE TIME IS 11:27AM PST NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS WERE MADE FROM N323PA.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISCOVERED OVER FOUR HOURS LATER IN A HEAVILY WOODED RAVINE ON FIRE. IT WAS DETERMINED THE AIRCRAFT FIRST STRUCK THE TOP OF A TREE BRANCH ABOUT 100 FEET INTO THE RAVINE. THE AIRCRAFT AND SOLE OCCUPANT WERE SUBJECT TO A HIGH IMPACT CRASH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRAVELING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH, AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN AT A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK. THE DEBRIS FIELD EXTENDED 400 FEET DOWN THE RAVINE, WITH THE FUSELAGE AND PROPELLER 100 TO 150 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT AND THE POWERPLANT AT THE END OF THE DEBRIS FIELD. THE MAJORITY OF THE AIRCRAFT?S FORWARD CABIN WAS CONSUMED IN THE POST-ACCIDENT FIRE.

AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE DID NOT PRODUCE ANY INDICATIONS THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE NOR PRODUCING POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.

WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT:  WIND FROM THE WEST AT 13 MPH, VISIBILITY 9 MILES, TEMPERATURE 59 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, DEW POINT 54 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY 82 PERCENT. THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 29.84 INCHES. CLOUDS WERE SCATTERED AT 1400 FT., BROKEN AT 2000 FT. AND OVERCAST AT 4900FT.

## 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 WPR16FA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA042), Dec 22, 2015: Piper PA32R (N323PA), Castro Valley, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of control due to spatial disorientation while maneuvering during an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions.

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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