LAX00FA354

The recently certificated, non-instrument rated, private pilot took off in conditions of nighttime darkness from a coastal valley airport and climbed over a sparsely lighted area toward rising terrain. The airplane entered low stratus clouds that were not visible to the pilot until the airplane flew into them. He attempted to reverse course back toward the airport; however, during the turn the right wingtip contacted terrain in a plowed field and the airplane cartwheeled to the ground. The accident site was 4 miles from the departure airport and 120 feet higher elevation. The pilot obtained his certificate about 3 weeks prior and had 55 total flying hours, which included 5 hours at night. The pilot reported there were no mechanical problems with the aircraft.

History of flight

On September 30, 2000, about 2235 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-38, N2493G, was destroyed by impact with terrain near San Luis Obispo, California. The private pilot was seriously injured and the sole passenger was fatally injured. The personal flight, operated by Mazzei Flying Service under 14 CFR Part 91, departed from the San Luis Obispo County-McChesney Field airport about 2230, and was destined for Fresno Yosemite International airport at Fresno, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

At 0042, on October 1, 2000, a caller to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department emergency (911) dispatcher reported that he had crashed his airplane and needed help. See "COMMUNICATIONS," below, for information about this phone call.

The pilot later told the Safety Board investigator that the purpose of the trip from Fresno to San Luis Obispo was to visit friends there. He and his passenger arrived about midday, serviced the aircraft, and left the airport with his friends. After spending the afternoon and evening, they left his friend's house to return to the airport about 10 P.M. He recalled being only slightly apprehensive as he preflighted the airplane and taxied for departure. He said that his apprehension was more due to concern about doing a good job of flying because his passenger was his best friend and he wanted to put her at ease. He had flown to San Luis Obispo previously, but never at night. He said that after takeoff they climbed out toward Fresno, and the flight was normal for about 5 minutes until they "hit a wall of clouds." He recalled turning back toward the direction he approached from, and the next thing he remembered was being out of the airplane at the accident site. He said he recalled being "frightened" by the clouds but believed he kept the airplane under control as he turned.

Personnel information

The pilot received his private pilot certificate on September 6, 2000, and had about 55 hours total flying time, which included 5 hours at night.

The pilot told the Safety Board investigator that his night flying training was primarily accomplished over the lighted city areas around Fresno, although he did recall flying some in the dark areas of the western San Joaquin Valley with the city lights distant. He had also flown one cross-country night flight as a passenger. He did not recall any training about the difference from daytime flying and the difficulty seeing clouds and dark terrain at night.

Aircraft information

The pilot later stated that, to the best of his recollection, there were no mechanical problems with the airplane contributing to the accident.

The airport attendant at San Luis Obispo airport reported adding 8.2 gallons of fuel, which filled the aircraft to capacity, about noon on September 30, 2000.

Meteorological information

A San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Deputy who was among the early responders to the accident scene, reported that weather conditions consisted of low clouds and fog with heavy drizzle, and that the night was very dark. A second deputy, who is a commercial certificated pilot, estimated the overcast ceiling was at 300 feet (agl) and the visibility was near zero.

An evening social event was in progress at the winery where the pilot would later go to call for help. The event manager reported hearing an airplane fly over about 2215, and remarked to another guest that it seemed very low. She said she did not see the airplane, but that she did not really look for it. She didn't recall the clouds and ceiling, but said when she left the event about 2300 conditions were foggy.

According to a sun and moonlight sky illumination program (attached), sunset was at 1849, and the sun was 44.5 degrees below the horizon at the time of the accident. The moon was 19.7 degrees below the horizon and sky illumination was 13 percent of full-moon illumination.

Communications

On October 1, 2000, the Safety Board investigator listened to a replay of the 911 call that was received by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department dispatcher, telephone position 3, at 0042 on October 1, 2000. The caller told the 911 operator that he had crashed a plane in a field, and that there was one other person still in the airplane and that he needed help. He did not know where he was but that he was in a building and had found his way to the telephone through an unlocked door. It was determined by the 911 operator that he was calling from the hospitality center at the Edna Valley Vineyards on Biddle Ranch Road and emergency vehicles were dispatched.

The caller complained that his jaw was dislocated; he had pain in his head, jaw, hands, feet, and back. He also said he was bleeding from the head. The caller sounded to the operator as though he was having difficulty remaining conscious and, while awaiting the responders, the 911 operator asked him a number of questions to keep him alert. At 0053, the dispatcher asked him where he had taken off from and the caller replied he had "departed 11 off San Luis Obispo," and then said "I tried to turn around because of clouds. I'm in a grape vineyard." At 0057, he reported seeing lights of emergency vehicles, and was shortly located by emergency responders.

Wreckage and impact information

The accident location was in an unplanted, plowed section of land on a low, rolling, knoll about 4 miles southeast of the San Luis Obispo airport. Adjacent sections of land were planted in grape vineyards. The terrain at the accident site sloped gently downward to the west and northwest into the valley containing San Luis Obispo and rose in the distance to the east into the coastal mountain range. The location was at latitude 35 degrees 13.36 minutes north and longitude 120 degrees 36.25 minutes west. The elevation was 332 feet msl (GPS). All of the aircraft was present at the site and there was no fire.

The wreckage was distributed along a path about 300 feet long oriented approximately 290 degrees (magnetic) with the fuselage and wing wreckage at the northwest end. When viewed from the southeast end, looking northwest, the local terrain in the field sloped downward about 3 degrees, and the San Luis Obispo airport, elevation 209 feet msl, was visible at the lower elevation in the distance.

At the southeast end of the wreckage distribution was a furrow in the dirt, oriented northwest-southeast, about 6 inches wide and 10 feet long, in which were found small pieces of green glass and one position light lens retainer. About 25 feet further along in the field was an area freshly disturbed dirt, which was about 6 feet wide and 20 feet long. At 125-130 feet along the wreckage path, to the left of center, were the left landing gear strut and tire assembly, the nose wheel strut and tire assembly, and the right-hand wingtip fairing. Opposite, to the right of center, was the upper engine cowling and pieces of red glass resembling that of the left-hand position light lens. About 175 feet along the path, and 20 feet to the right of center, was the propeller with both blades bent smoothly aft about 45 degrees at the midspan, and with minor leading edge damage and chordwise striations. At 225 feet along the field was the right-hand cabin door; at 290 feet was the right-hand landing gear strut; and to the right about 5-feet, the left-hand cabin door.

The fuselage wreckage, including the empennage, the wings, and the engine, was at 300 feet in the wreckage path. The cockpit area was inverted and was pointed southwest. The engine and instrument panel were separated from the cockpit but remained attached by cables and wires and were laying on the ground adjacent to, but beside and behind, the cockpit to the northeast. The right wing, which exhibited a shredded appearance, was laying on the ground to the south, and was separated from the wing center