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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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April 30, 1983 · Piper PA-28-181 · N9233K

Redlands, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 30, 1983
Injury Outcomes
4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Location
Redlands, CA
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-181
Tail Number
N9233K
Operator
Tri-State Aviation
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX83FA211

BEFORE FLYING, THE PLT TOLD THE FBO THAT HE WOULD STAY IN THE LOCAL REDLANDS/RIVERSIDE, CA AREA. HOWEVER, AFTER TAKING OFF, HE FLEW TO LAS VEGAS, NV. HE DEPARTED LAS VEGAS AT 1636 PDT. WHEN HE DID NOT RETURN TO REDLANDS, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE WRECKAGE OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND ABOUT 8 MI NORTH OF REDLANDS IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHERE THE PLANE HAD CRASHED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 5300 FT. IMPACT OCCURRED AT THE BASE OF A CLIFF IN A CANYON AREA. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. RADAR INFO INDICATED THE ACFT WAS FLYING AT A SLOW SPEED JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE IMPACT SITE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 2 MI NORTH OF THE LAST RECORDED RADAR POSITION. A WX STUDY SHOWED THAT THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS IN THAT AREA WAS ABOUT 4000 FT MSL & THE CLOUD TOPS WERE NEAR 5000 FT. FLT VISIBILITY IN CLOUDS WAS ZERO MI & MODERATE TURBULENCE WAS PROBABLE BELOW 10,000 FT MSL.

Full Narrative

BEFORE FLYING, THE PLT TOLD THE FBO THAT HE WOULD STAY IN THE LOCAL REDLANDS/RIVERSIDE, CA AREA. HOWEVER, AFTER TAKING OFF, HE FLEW TO LAS VEGAS, NV. HE DEPARTED LAS VEGAS AT 1636 PDT. WHEN HE DID NOT RETURN TO REDLANDS, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE WRECKAGE OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND ABOUT 8 MI NORTH OF REDLANDS IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHERE THE PLANE HAD CRASHED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 5300 FT. IMPACT OCCURRED AT THE BASE OF A CLIFF IN A CANYON AREA. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. RADAR INFO INDICATED THE ACFT WAS FLYING AT A SLOW SPEED JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE IMPACT SITE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 2 MI NORTH OF THE LAST RECORDED RADAR POSITION. A WX STUDY SHOWED THAT THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS IN THAT AREA WAS ABOUT 4000 FT MSL & THE CLOUD TOPS WERE NEAR 5000 FT. FLT VISIBILITY IN CLOUDS WAS ZERO MI & MODERATE TURBULENCE WAS PROBABLE BELOW 10,000 FT MSL.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:30 PDT
Nearest AirportBig Bear City (5nm SW)
Runway0
Runway Length5850 ft
Runway Width75 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-28-181
Tail NumberN9233K
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorTri-State Aviation
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-360-A4M · Reciprocating · 180
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Fatal4
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total4
Crew 1Age 25 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind260° @ 9 kt
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data