LAX03FA131

The airplane impacted steep mountainous terrain while climbing after departure approximately 5 miles to the southwest of the departure airport. The airport was surrounded by 7,600-foot to 8,000-foot mountain ridges to the north, south, and east. To the west was a 6-mile-long lake ending in a dam and then a descending valley. Weather was clear skies with winds from the southwest at 6 knots. The pilot flew a southwestern departure route from the airport that crossed rugged mountainous terrain within 5 miles of the airport. This route was not the departure route recommended by the Big Bear City Airport; however, this pilot had recommended this route to at least one other pilot he had flown with in the past. The pilot misjudged the altitude required to cross these mountains and collided with terrain. No preaccident anomalies were noted with the airplane or engine. Toxicology lab results indicated that the pilot had been exposed to marijuana within the 10 hours prior to the flight. Medical analysis indicated that the pilot may have been somewhat impaired by the affects of marijuana, but it is unclear what role such impairment might have played in the decision making that set the stage for this accident.

History of flight

On April 6, 2003, about 1630 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N8719N, collided with trees and mountainous terrain approximately 5 miles southwest of Big Bear Lake, California. A friend of the pilot owned the airplane and was operating it under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and one passenger received fatal injuries. A second passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was destroyed. The flight originated at Big Bear City airport at 1615, and had a final destination of San Diego, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the pilot received a weather briefing. No flight plan had been filed. The airplane's wreckage was at 34 degrees 13 minutes 10.1 seconds north latitude and 116 degrees 56 minutes 14.5 seconds west longitude.

The Big Bear City airport elevation is 6,748 feet mean sea level (msl). The four-place airplane was carrying 3 persons and 107 pounds of baggage. The surviving passenger stated that the pilot told her that they would not get a full load of gas before leaving Big Bear. They would stop at Palomar Airport, Oceanside, California, to fuel up before continuing on to Montgomery airport in San Diego. Fuel receipts indicate that the pilot did take on 6 gallons of fuel at Big Bear City before departure. They took off from runway 26 and flew over the lake. The survivor did not notice the turn to the south that would take them to the accident location. The survivor also stated that everything seemed normal during the flight until just seconds before the accident when she thought that they were "low over the land."

Personnel information

The pilot obtained his first-class medical certificate with no limitations on October 7, 2002. On November 17, 1998, the pilot was issued a private pilot certificate. On July 24, 2000, the pilot was issued a commercial airplane multiengine pilot certificate. On December 29, 2000, the pilot was issued a commercial pilot certificate with single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. The pilot held a certified flight instructor certificate. Examination of the pilot's logbook revealed that on January 2, 2003, the pilot completed a biennial flight review, and had accumulated 1,189 flight hours at the time of the accident. The pilot had flown this airplane in and out of Big Bear one other time, on June 7, 2002.

Aircraft information

A 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320-E2A engine, serial number L25039-27A, powered the low wing airplane. Examination of the airplane maintenance logbook revealed that the last annual airframe and engine inspections were performed simultaneously on October 1, 2002, with 1,533 total engine hours and 4,985 total airframe hours. Wing root vortex generators had been installed on February 2, 1998, in accordance to STC SA12166L.

Meteorlogical information

At 1600, the Big Bear City airport Automatic Weather Observation System (AWOS) recorded clear skies; 10 miles visibility; temperature 51 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 15 degrees Fahrenheit; wind from 240 degrees at 6 knots; and an altimeter setting of 30.05 inHg.

Winds aloft, recorded by the Moreno Valley, California, South Coast Air Quality Management District at 1600 and 7,000 feet mean sea level (msl) were from the northwest at 10 knots.

The survivor stated that the winds appeared to be calm when she egressed from the airplane after the accident.

The density altitude calculated for 51 degrees Fahrenheit and 7,000 feet msl was 8,000 feet.

Aerodrome information

Big Bear City airport (L35) is nestled in a mountain valley at an elevation of 6,748 feet msl. The asphalt runway (04-26) has a length of 5,850 feet. Departure from runway 26 takes aircraft over Big Bear Lake. The normal departure route taken from runway 26 is to fly westerly over the lake and cross the Big Bear dam. The terrain then descends into San Bernardino and the greater Los Angeles basin. To the north of Big Bear Lake is an 8,000-foot mountain ridge; to the south is a 7,800-foot mountain ridge; to the east is a 7,600-foot mountain ridge; and to the west, the 6-mile-long lake ends in a dam and a descending valley.

The preferred arrival and departure routes are available to pilots in the form of a printed handout. The departure route for runway 26 depicts a 10-degree left turn for a route of flight westerly out over Big Bear Lake to cross over the dam, remaining at or below 8,500 feet msl.

Wreckage and impact information

The airplane's wreckage was at an elevation of 7,500 feet msl in mountainous terrain. The mountain ridgeline where the accident occurred is the last major mountain terrain feature before the terrain descends towards San Bernardino in the greater Los Angeles basin. The accident site was located on the northern face of a ridgeline approximately 2 miles southwest of Big Bear Lake, which is the southern boundary of the greater Big Bear Lake valley. The elevations of the ridgeline above the accident site averaged 7,800 feet msl. The minor mountain ridge closest to the wreckage had an elevation of 7,600 feet.

Mature pine trees averaging 80 to 100 feet in height and 4 feet in diameter populated the rugged sloping terrain leading to the accident site. Thick underbrush, boulders, and rock outcroppings the size of automobiles covered the ground. A descending path of severed pine treetops and branches, oriented on a magnetic bearing of 262, led to the wreckage.

Two large pine trees located on the small ridge above the airplane wreckage were missing branches about 60 feet up. This was the first identified point of unusual foliage/terrain disturbance. Freshly broken branches were below the trees and were approximately 3 inches in diameter. From this initial location there was a path of disturbed trees on the magnetic bearing of 262 degrees that lead down to the airplane wreckage. This bearing led down hill into a small valley with a terrain slope of about 25 degrees.

Approximately 120 feet from the airplane wreckage, along the line of disturbed trees, the outboard third of the left wing was in a pine tree about 30 feet above the ground. The wing leading edge wrapped squarely around the tree with the upper and lower wing surfaces parallel to the ground. Two trees, adjacent to that tree, were both topped at the same elevation. Freshly broken branches were on the ground directly below these trees.

Approximately 10 feet from the wreckage was a very large pine tree about 5 feet in diameter that displayed a large oval shaped area of crushed and splintered bark about 8 feet above the ground. Distinct slash cut marks radiated from the center, and an area of twisted wood grain abrasion about 8 inches in diameter was to the right of the center of the oval area.

The left main landing gear was along the line of disturbed trees about 180 feet from the main wreckage. A center section of the left wing, a section of the left wing fuel tank, and the left wing spar were all 30 to 45 feet from the main wreckage along the disturbed tree line course.

The airplane was upright with the fuselage on a magnetic bearing of 021 degrees. The right wing and right main landing gear were attached to the fuselage. Two semicircular indentations were evident along the leading edge of the wing; one close to the wing root and another about 1-foot inboard of the wing tip. The right main landing gear displayed green and brown color transfers and indentations. The right wing fuel tank drain valve had wood splinters embedded into the grooves and in the drain hole of the valve.

The empennage and tail section were intact with very little evidence of damage. The elevator trim tab appeared to be in the full up position.

The remaining section of the inboard left wing separated from the fuselage and was 2 feet from the airplane's right side. The outboard portion of the wing from the midspan leading edge to the