- Date
- January 6, 1982, 10:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Near Bakersfiel, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N59737Boeing A75
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 6, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 71844
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
In flight encounter with weather
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequateFactor
Weather condition - fogFactor
Vfr flight into imc - continuedCause
Spatial disorientationFactor
In flight collision with terrain/water
Terrain condition - mountainous/hillyFactor
Analysis
The pilot was enroute to las vegas, Nevada for a banner towing operation. As he proceeded eastbound along highway 58, he encountered fog that was forming in the tehachapi foothills. He initiated a 180 degree turn to go back, but inadvertently entered IFR conditions. The pilot stated that he became spatially disoriented and descended as slowly as he could, but the aircraft struck the side of a hill.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59737
- Reported as
- Boeing A75
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-4828
- Airframe hours
- 2,100
- Engine
- Continental W-670, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- William E. Smith
- Registered owner
- William E. Smith
- Departed
- Delano, CA
- Destination
- Las Vegas, NV
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 12,765 total · 195 in this make and model · 6,620 as pilot in command · 183 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft
- Temperature
- 104 °F