- Date
- February 6, 1990, 15:48 local (23:48 UTC)
- Place
- Bakersfield, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8888MPiper PA-46-350P
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900206001709A
- Case key
- 26612
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 failure to activate the pitot heat before flying at and above the freezing level in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), followed by his improper response to erroneous airspeed indications that resulted from blockage of the pitot tube by atmospheric icing. Contributing to the accident was spatial disorientation of the pilot.
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
Bfr tkof, plt was adz of IFR conds along 1st part of route, with flt prctns for ocnl mod turbc blo 15,000' & mixed icg fm frzg lvl (6000') to 18,000'. He filed IFR flt plan with cruise alt of 11,000'. Drg dep, plt was clrd to climb to 9000' & told to expect clnc to 11,000', 5 min ltr . Radar data showed, acft climbed at abt 1500'/MIN & 100 KTS, slowing slightly abv 8000'. At abt 9000', acft started to lvl & accelerate. It then climbed momentarily, deviated laterally fm course & entered steep dscnt. In-flt breakup occurred & wreckage was scattered ovr 4100' area. Trajectory study showed breakup occurred btn 4500' & 6500' as acft was in steep dscnt in excess of 266 KTS. Metallurgical exam of wings & sta- bilizers revealed features typical of overstress sepn; no preexisting cracks or defects were fnd. The acft was recently purchased. Plt's son indcd principal prblm was 'twenty year leap in technology' fm previously owned PA-24, that plt had difficulty with avionics & flt drctr/autoplt, & that he lacked detail trng in autoplt emergencies. (See:NTSB/SIR-92/03)
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8888M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-46-350P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 46-22091
- Airframe hours
- 62
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- James W. Hager
- Registered owner
- Hagar Family Trust
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 8, 1989 · 62 hours before
- Departed
- PTV · Porterville, CA
- Destination
- L12 · Redlands, 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
- 74
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 8,155 total · 51 in this make and model · 8,006 as pilot in command · 64 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- 310° at 10 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BFL, 18 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.