- Date
- January 5, 1989, 10:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- San Bernardino, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5157LPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890105000229A
- Case key
- 26199
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to continue VFR flight after encountering instrument meteorological conditions while attempting to transit through a mountain pass. Contributing factors was: the pilot's self-induced pressure knowing that a co-worker was probably waiting for him at the destination airport; over confidence in personal ability after having recently received instrument dual instruction; and the adverse weather and terrain conditions.
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
Accident site in pass at an elevation 3,200 ft MSL, 1/2 mile from interstate highway. 10,000 ft mountains both sides. Sheriff's helo pilots flying patrol before, during, and after the accident time frame reported rapidly forming and dissipating stratus clouds which obscured the hill sides and floor of the pass. The pilot had arranged for a coworker to pick him up at the destination airport. The pilot had recently obtained 13 hours of instrument dual instruction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5157L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4442
- Airframe hours
- 2,014
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Troxell, Carl R.
- Registered owner
- Carl R Troxell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 8, 1988 · 34 hours before
- Departed
- P06 · Bullhead City, AZ
- Destination
- L67 · Rialto, 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
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 409 total · 332 in this make and model · 351 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RIV, 14 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.