LAX92FA260

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 421B · Monterey, CA · June 24, 1992

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
June 24, 1992, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
Place
Monterey, CA
Injuries
3 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N628RJCessna 421B
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 25, 1993
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19920624021659A
Case key
27437

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 owner/pilot's poor judgement in attempting an operation beyond his experience and ability, which resulted in his failure to attain an adequate climb profile necessary for terrain clearance. Also, the owner/pilot lacked instrument experience, and was overconfident in his ability. Factors in the accident were: the hilly terrain and 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.

In flight collision with terrain/waterClimb - to cruise
Terrain condition - mountainous/hillyFactor
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - obscurationFactor
Weather condition - fogFactor
Vfr flight into imc - attemptedPilot in commandCause
Proper climb rate - not attainedPilot in commandCause
Overconfidence in personal abilityPilot in commandCause
Lack of total instrument timePilot in commandCause

Analysis

The 3 occupants aboard were: the owner in the left front seat, his wife in the right front seat, and a man hired by the owner to fly the airplane (seat location could not be determined). Prior to takeoff a man telephoned fss for a weather briefing and to file an IFR flight plan. He told fss the pilot's name was j. hamlett; a j. hamlett was not aboard (it was found later that hamlett was the maiden name of the wife of the man hired to fly the airplane). Two minutes after takeoff the pilot was told to contact departure; the pilot acknowledged. This was the last recorded radio contact. The airplane collided with a hill obscured by ground fog about 3 mi east of the airport. The man hired to fly the airplane did not possess an airman certificate; his certificate was revoked 2 years prior to the accident. The owner had obtained his private certificate for airplane single-engine land about 1 month prior to the accident, and had not received any multi-engine instruction.

Aircraft

Registration
N628RJ
Reported as
Cessna 421B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
421B-0028
Engine
Continental GTSIO-520H, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Judith Rea Enterprises
Registered owner
Judith Rea Enterprises
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Unknown · January 2, 2000
Departed
MRY
Destination
TUS · Tucson, AZ
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
40
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
75 total · 10 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
310° at 9 knots
Visibility
2 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
300 ft
Temperature
57 °F, dew point 55 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
MRY, 3 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.