LAX91FA065

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28-161 · Glendale, CA · January 3, 1991

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
January 3, 1991, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC)
Place
Glendale, CA
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N39778Piper PA-28-161
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 17, 1992
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19910103000259A
Case key
26970

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's inadvertent VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his improper inflight decision to turn to the left, which resulted in flight toward higher terrain. The terrain and weather conditions were related factors.

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.

In flight encounter with weatherCruise
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - rainFactor
Vfr flight into imc - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterManeuvering
In-flight planning/decision - improperPilot in commandCause
Terrain condition - high terrainFactor
Object - wire,transmissionFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterManeuvering

Analysis

After takeoff, the plt rcvd traffic advisories from burbank apch control to proceed eastbound thru the area of burbank arsa to intercept V459. At 1258:56 PST, radar service was terminated & the plt was given a VFR transponder code & told to maintain VFR flt. About 45 sec later, an ELT signal was heard for a brief time. Two days later, wreckage of the acft was found in mountainous terrain about 5 mi east of the burbank arpt. Elevation of the crash site was about 1900'. An investigation revealed that when radar service was terminated, the acft was flying eastbound at about 1900' MSL. Subsequently, it turned left toward high terrain & collided with a power line cable, then crashed & burned. Impact occurred as the acft was on a northerly heading & in a left turn. At 1246 PST, the burbank wx was in part: 1000' sct, estd 3000' bkn, 5000' ovc, vis 4 mi with rain, wind calm. About 1/2 hr later, the wx at burbank was: 600' sct, 1500' ovc, vis 4 mi with rain, wnd calm.

Aircraft

Registration
N39778
Reported as
Piper PA-28-161
Category
Airplane
Serial number
79-16009
Engine
Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Positioning · Part 91
Operator
Cal State Flying Club
Registered owner
James E. Guthrie
Departed
WHP · Pacoima, CA
Destination
LGB · Long Beach, 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
43
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
395 total

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Temperature
52 °F, dew point 52 °F
Observed at
BUR, 5 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.