- Date
- October 9, 1987, 20:00 local (Oct 10, 1987, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4342BPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871010059349A
- Case key
- 25883
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
The non-instrument rated pilot became disoriented when he inadvertently flew into a layer of fog while making an enroute descent for landing at his destination. The aircraft collided with trees while the pilot was attempting to execute a climbing course reversal. The pilot stated that during the approach he lost contact with all ground lights and entered a sharp bank in an effort to turn around and climb. 'The abrupt maneuvers and total lack of ground reference caused me to become disoriented.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4342B
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8416050
- Airframe hours
- 1,579
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Larry F. Burnette
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 15, 1987 · 84 hours before
- Departed
- SJC · San Jose, CA
- Destination
- SBP · San Luis Obispo, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 207 total · 195 in this make and model · 182 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SBP, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.