- Date
- April 15, 1986, 22:25 local (Apr 16, 1986, 06:25 UTC)
- Place
- Beaumont, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N28891Piper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860415011939A
- Case key
- 24908
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.
Analysis
When the non-instrument rated plt departed for the flt at about 2110 hrs, the wx conditions were marginal and deteriorating in the area. No record of a wx briefing was found. For unkn reasons, the plt was returning to the arpt after about 1 hr and 20 mns, entered the banning pass from the east and encountered ceilings of aprx 500 ft AGL and visibilities of 1 mi or less in fog and drizzle. By the time the plt contacted the norton afb ATCT, he was unable to clearly locate his position in the darkness and restricted visibilities. The radio transmission from the plt, 'we're having problems getting in VFR we're going to try to climb and get above this (weather)' established his intention to try an instrument climb through the clouds to find VFR conditions. The witnesses observed the acft enter the base of the clouds then descend 'straight down out of the clouds.' The physical evidence at the site established that the acft contacted the ground in an attitude consistant with a right spin.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N28891
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7990426
- Airframe hours
- 1,944
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Redlands Aviation, Inc
- Registered owner
- George E. Lewis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 27, 1986 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- L12 · Redlands, CA
- Destination
- PO6 · Bullhead City, AZ
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 85 total · 85 in this make and model · 54 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.