- Date
- August 2, 1992, 18:00 local (Aug 3, 1992, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pacifica, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4625TMercury 1
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920802028739A
- Case key
- 27445
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 attempt visual flight in instrument meteorological 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 pilot and his passenger departed on a cross country flight after an intermediate re-fueling stop. They reportedly intended to do some sightseeing en route. During their flight they encountered instrument meteorological conditions and collided with hilly/mountainous terrain. Witnesses located about 300 yards from the accident site reported the terrain in the vicinity of the accident was obscured by ground fog. They said they could hear the airplane, but could not see it due to weather conditions. An FAA airworthiness inspector examined the airplane and engine at the accident location. He noted that the airplane's wooden propeller shattered on impact and determined the engine was producing power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4625T
- Reported as
- Mercury 1
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Paul Beaulac
- Registered owner
- Paul Beaulac
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- O01 · Santa Rosa, CA
- Destination
- PAO · Palo Alto, 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
- 40
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,280 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- 50 ft
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.