LAX94FA004

The airplane was on a cross-county flight on a bright moonlit night from reno, NV, to Petaluma, CA. During arrival, the airplane collided with rising terrain about 4 miles southeast of the airport at about 400' MSL. About 25 miles north- west at sonoma county airport, the 2340 PDT weather was in part: 400' overcast, 10 miles visibility, wind from 140 deg at 5 KTS. A commercial pilot reported that earlier that evening, cloud bases at Petaluma were between 300' & 400' AGL. On the following morning, cloud bases were still present at about 400' AGL. The airplane was equipped with dual vor's & loran & there was a portable GPS receiver aboard. The airport had a VOR (rwy 29) approach. Minimum descent altitude for that approach was 1080' MSL, but the flight had no flight plan or ATC clearance. The owner/pilot was not instrument rated, though another pilot, who was aboard, had a private pilot certificate with an instrument rating. Investigation did not determine which pilot was flying the airplane. No preimpact part failure of the airplane was found.

History of flight

On October 2, 1993, at 2329 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 177RG, N45022, descended into rising terrain about three and one-half miles east-southeast of the Petaluma Municipal (uncontrolled) Airport, Petaluma, California. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity of the accident site. The airplane was destroyed during the bright nighttime personal flight. Two private pilots (a female who owned the airplane, and a male) and two passengers were fatally injured. No evidence was found that either pilot had received a preflight weather briefing prior to taking off from the Reno Cannon International Airport, Reno, Nevada, or had received a weather briefing while en route to Petaluma. No flight plan was filed, and no instrument flight rules clearance was issued during the accident flight.

Based upon the National Transportation Safety Board's review of the Federal Administration Administration's air traffic communications tape, at 2208 the pilot with a male-sounding voice contacted the air traffic facility at the Reno Airport. The pilot indicated that he planned to fly to Petaluma. The pilot was issued a clearance to taxi for takeoff, and a few minutes later, at 2214, the airplane departed in visual flight conditions. During the airplane's initial climb, at 2219, Reno Departure Control identified the airplane on radar. FAA controllers did not experience any difficulty handling the airplane's flight. All radar services and communications were described as having been routine. All services with the airplane were terminated at 2224. No other FAA facility reported having contact with the airplane, and its en route flight path to Petaluma was not determined.

FAA quality assurance personnel at the Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) verbally reported to the Western-Pacific Systems Effectiveness supervisor and to the Safety Board that a search was performed for the presence of primary radar targets and Mode C transponder targets which approached the Petaluma Airport between 2300 on October 2, and 0100 on October 3, 1993. (The Safety Board estimated that based upon nominal cruise performance for the accident airplane, and no en route delays, the airplane could have been expected to arrive at Petaluma between 65 and 90 minutes after departing Reno.)

Only one target was found during the searched period, and that target was noted to be a Mode C-equipped aircraft. The aircraft descended while flying in a southwesterly direction until crossing the 276-degree radial of the Scaggs Island VORTAC (navigation aid) about 1,900 feet at 2327. The target then turned to a westerly heading and continued descending. At 2328, the target flew about 0.9 nautical miles to the left of the AFTIN Intersection. At this time, the target was descending through about 1,400 feet and was flying approximately parallel (but to the left of) the 276-degree radial from the Scaggs VORTAC.

The radar data shows the target continued to descend and it commenced a right turn. Between 2328:41 and 2328:53, during the last 12 seconds of the target's recorded flight, it descended from 1,000 feet to 700 feet, and traveled 0.37 nautical miles along a magnetic track of 300 degrees. The magnetic bearing between the target's last recorded radar position (at 2328:53) and the crash site was about 344 degrees.

Personnel information

First Pilot

FAA records indicated that the female pilot possessed a private pilot certificate and an airplane single-engine land rating. She was not instrument rated. On June 25, 1992, when the pilot applied for a Third-Class Aviation Medical Certificate, she indicated having 1,300 total hours of flight time. Also, she indicated having flown for 25 hours during the preceding six- month period.

Second Pilot

FAA records indicated that the male pilot possessed a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land and an instrument rating. On September 25, 1992, when the pilot last applied for a Third-Class Aviation Medical Certificate, he indicated having 1,400 total hours of flight time. Also, he indicated having flown for 70 hours during the preceding six- month period.

The recency of instrument flight experience, currency, and compliance with the FAA's Biennial Flight Review requirements could not be established for either pilot. No flight records have been provided to the Safety Board.

Aircraft information

The airplane was registered to the female pilot. The airplane was found equipped with dual flight controls, and its design allowed for piloting from either cockpit seat, although the flight instruments were grouped on the left side of the instrument panel.

The Mode C transponder and turbocharged airplane was found equipped for flight under instrument flight rules. Navigation equipment found in the wreckage included dual VORs, Loran, and a hand-held type of global positioning receiver (GPS).

From a review of ledger papers found scattered throughout the wreckage, on June 24, 1993, the airplane received a 100-hour inspection at 2,484.0 hours. No other inspection data was noted.

In the wreckage, the recording engine tachometer was observed at 2,513.0 hours. (The airplane inspection information listed in this Safety Board form was based upon the hours recorded in the ledger pages.)

Meteorological and moon illumination information

The closest operative weather observation station to the accident site was at the Sonoma County Airport, elevation 125 feet msl. Sonoma is located about 21 nautical miles northwest of the crash site. Between 2200 on October 2, and 0120 on October 3, 1993, Sonoma reported a 400-foot overcast ceiling, visibility at least 10 miles, and temperature/dew point of 53/51 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively.

The Petaluma Airport manager verbally reported that on October 2, 1993, visual flight conditions existed in the airport area until about 1800. By 2000, a low altitude cloud layer moved over the airport creating an overcast sky condition. The clouds did not dissipate until after sunrise the following morning.

A commercial pilot, who provided student flight instruction from his Petaluma Airport office base of operations, verbally reported that during the early evening of October 2, 1993, the sky was overcast with cloud bases between 300 and 400 feet above ground level (agl). The visibility was about 5 miles. The following morning, the clouds were still present and had bases of about 400 feet agl.

At 2330, the moon was positioned approximately 43 degrees above the earth's horizon, and its magnetic azimuth was 89 degrees. Its illumination was 94 percent.

Aids to navigation

According to the FAA coordinator, all electronic aids to navigation associated with the VOR runway 29 approach procedure to the Petaluma Airport were functional at the time of the accident.

Communication

A review of the FAA's air traffic voice tape, in conjunction with recorded radar track data, indicated that a male-sounding voice made broadcasts from the Mode C transponder equipped accident airplane to the FAA while departing from Reno. No female- sounding voice was heard during any of the communications.

Aerodrome and ground facilities

The Petaluma Airport is located at 38 degrees, 15.28 minutes north latitude, by 122 degrees, 36.19 minutes west latitude. Its elevation is 87 feet msl.

The airport's manager verbally reported that the airport's rotating beacon had operated normally between the evening of October 2, and the morning of October 3, 1993.

Wreckage and impact information

From an examination of the accident site and airplane wreckage, the airplane was found to have descended into the south slope of a hill located about 38 degrees, 13.39 minutes north latitude by 122 degrees, 32.64 minutes west longitude. Although the airplane's structure fragmented upon impact, all of the airplane's flight control surfaces