- Date
- February 12, 1989, 15:43 local (23:43 UTC)
- Place
- Julian, CA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9240PPiper PA-24-260
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890212001969A
- Case key
- 26212
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 poor judgement of intentionally flying into an area of known forecast icing conditions which resulted in a loss of control and an inflight breakup of the aircraft. Contributing factors were the pilot's overconfidence in his personal ability by attempting flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and the adverse weather 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
The non-instrument rated pilot first filed an IFR flight plan before obtaining a weather briefing. Light to moderate rime icing was forecast from 5,000 to 16,000 ft. at 1541 the ARTCC controller noticed the mode c altitude report was 1,300 ft lower than the assigned altitude of 10,000 ft, and descending. The pilot responded to the controller's inquiry that 'I cannot maintain altitude'. At 1543 radio and radar contact was lost. An airline flight reported picking up moderate rime ice while flying in the area of the accident site. A ground witness reported that at the time of the accident a thunderstorm was overhead, accompanied by lightning, thunder, hail, and moderate snow and rain showers. The witness also heard a loud 'winding up engine sound followed by a large bang'. The last pitot static system test and calibration was recorded on 7/8/86. The pilot had received about 44 hrs dual instrument training during the first 6 months of 1986.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9240P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-4739
- Airframe hours
- 2,879
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-D4A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John H. Maloney
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 5, 1987 · 150 hours before
- Departed
- PSP · Palm Springs, CA
- Destination
- MYF · San Diego, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 620 total · 480 in this make and model · 581 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRM, 36 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.
Other investigations on N9240P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.