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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

May 10, 1989 · Beech 200 · N39YV

Azusa, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 10, 1989
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Azusa, CA
Aircraft
Beech 200
Tail Number
N39YV
Operator
Mesa Airlines
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX89FA192

BEFORE THE FLT, THE PLTS OF 2 BEECH 200 ACFT EVALUATED WX RPRTS AT A FIXED BASE OPERATION & MADE A COMPUTER WX INQUIRY. THEY DEPARTED SANTA MONICA, CA, ON A POSITIONING FLT TO FARMINGTON, NM, WITHOUT FILING A FLT PLAN. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE LEAD ACFT WAS ABOUT 1 TO 3 MIN AHEAD OF THE 2ND ACFT. THE 2ND PLT RPRTD THEY WERE AT ABOUT 4500 FT MSL AS THEY NEARED MTNS & THE CLOUDS WERE ABOUT 1000 FT ABOVE. AS THEY CONTD EASTWARD IN A VALLEY, THE 2ND PLT HEARD THE LEAD PLT RPRT HE WAS 'GOING UP.' THIS WAS THE LAST KNOWN TRANSMISSION FROM THE LEAD ACFT. THE 2ND PLT CONTINUED HIS FLT IN VMC. TWO DAYS LATER, THE LEAD ACFT WAS FOUND, WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ABOUT 100 FT BELOW THE TOP OF A 7400 FT MTN RIDGE. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A HDG OF ABOUT 030 DEG. THE MTN RIDGE WAS ORIENTED ON HDGS OF 060 & 240 DEG.

NTSB Probable Cause

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HAS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS WERE CONSIDERED TO BE RELATED FACTORS.

Full Narrative

BEFORE THE FLT, THE PLTS OF 2 BEECH 200 ACFT EVALUATED WX RPRTS AT A FIXED BASE OPERATION & MADE A COMPUTER WX INQUIRY. THEY DEPARTED SANTA MONICA, CA, ON A POSITIONING FLT TO FARMINGTON, NM, WITHOUT FILING A FLT PLAN. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE LEAD ACFT WAS ABOUT 1 TO 3 MIN AHEAD OF THE 2ND ACFT. THE 2ND PLT RPRTD THEY WERE AT ABOUT 4500 FT MSL AS THEY NEARED MTNS & THE CLOUDS WERE ABOUT 1000 FT ABOVE. AS THEY CONTD EASTWARD IN A VALLEY, THE 2ND PLT HEARD THE LEAD PLT RPRT HE WAS 'GOING UP.' THIS WAS THE LAST KNOWN TRANSMISSION FROM THE LEAD ACFT. THE 2ND PLT CONTINUED HIS FLT IN VMC. TWO DAYS LATER, THE LEAD ACFT WAS FOUND, WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ABOUT 100 FT BELOW THE TOP OF A 7400 FT MTN RIDGE. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A HDG OF ABOUT 030 DEG. THE MTN RIDGE WAS ORIENTED ON HDGS OF 060 & 240 DEG.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time14:30 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBeech 200
Tail NumberN39YV
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorMesa Airlines
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsP&W · PT6A-41 · Turboprop · 1025
Seats15

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 39 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data