- Date
- February 1, 1985, 00:00 local (08:00 UTC)
- Place
- Woodside, CA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N8345YPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 24467
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 collision with terrain/water
Weather condition - obscurationFactor
Terrain condition - high terrainFactor
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Vfr flight into imc - attemptedCause
Proper altitude - not maintainedCause
Analysis
The plt departed san carlos for a 12 NM x-country to half moon bay, CA, with a return leg to san carlos. It is not know whether or not the flt arrived at half moon bay. The acft crashed in remote mountainous terrain aprx 4 NM west of the Woodside VOR which is located south of the san carlos arpt. Witnesses in the area stated that the terrain was obscured by low clouds and rain on the evening of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8345Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8116166
- Airframe hours
- 1,911
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D36, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Golden Gate Piper
- Registered owner
- Eric F. Burtis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 15, 1985 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- SQL · San Carlos, CA
- Destination
- SQL · San Carlos, CA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 104 total · 5 in this make and model · 25 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Night/dark