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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

January 7, 1985 · Beech B-35 · N8889A

Death Valley, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 7, 1985
Injury Outcomes
4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Location
Death Valley, CA
Aircraft
Beech B-35
Tail Number
N8889A
Operator
Corona Aircraft
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX85FA100

THE PLT GOT AN EXTENDED WX FCST THE DAY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE WHICH INDICATED BKN TO OVC CLOUDS BASED AT ABOUT 8,000 FT FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE TRIP & SCT TO BKN CLOUDS FOR THE LAST HALF. MOUNTAIN AREAS WERE PREDICTED TO BE OBSCURED. PLT WAS ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN THE MORNING FOR A DETAILED UPDATE, HOWEVER, NO RECORD OF ANY CONTACT WAS FOUND. NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED & THE ACFT DEPARTED AT ABOUT 0900 HRS ON AN UNKNOWN ROUTE FOR THE DESTINATION. THE ACFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED BY ELT SIGNAL & SEARCH ACFT AT 6,200 FT MSL ON A MOUNTAIN SIDE AT THE END OF A BOX CANYON. A WITNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON (ABOUT 4,000 FT MSL) REPORTED VISIBILITY 100 FT IN FOG & RAIN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WX CONDITIONS ALONG THE GENERAL ROUTE OF FLT WERE WORSE THAN THE FCST PLT RECEIVED THE DAY PRIOR, WITH CEILINGS IN 3,000 FT RANGE & TOPS TO 22,000. DESTINATION APRT WAS ONE-QUARTER MILE IN SNOW AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WX CONDITIONS ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT WERE ACCURATELY REPORTED IN WX INFO AVAILABLE TO THE PLT

Full Narrative

THE PLT GOT AN EXTENDED WX FCST THE DAY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE WHICH INDICATED BKN TO OVC CLOUDS BASED AT ABOUT 8,000 FT FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE TRIP & SCT TO BKN CLOUDS FOR THE LAST HALF. MOUNTAIN AREAS WERE PREDICTED TO BE OBSCURED. PLT WAS ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN THE MORNING FOR A DETAILED UPDATE, HOWEVER, NO RECORD OF ANY CONTACT WAS FOUND. NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED & THE ACFT DEPARTED AT ABOUT 0900 HRS ON AN UNKNOWN ROUTE FOR THE DESTINATION. THE ACFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED BY ELT SIGNAL & SEARCH ACFT AT 6,200 FT MSL ON A MOUNTAIN SIDE AT THE END OF A BOX CANYON. A WITNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON (ABOUT 4,000 FT MSL) REPORTED VISIBILITY 100 FT IN FOG & RAIN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WX CONDITIONS ALONG THE GENERAL ROUTE OF FLT WERE WORSE THAN THE FCST PLT RECEIVED THE DAY PRIOR, WITH CEILINGS IN 3,000 FT RANGE & TOPS TO 22,000. DESTINATION APRT WAS ONE-QUARTER MILE IN SNOW AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WX CONDITIONS ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT WERE ACCURATELY REPORTED IN WX INFO AVAILABLE TO THE PLT

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time10:50 PST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBeech B-35
Tail NumberN8889A
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorCorona Aircraft
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · E-225-4 · Reciprocating · 225
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Fatal4
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total4
Crew 1Age 44 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind192°
Visibility30 sm
Ceiling100 ft
Temperature / Dew Point34 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data