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January 3, 1986 · Piper PA-28-181 · N4318V

El Cajon, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 3, 1986
Injury Outcomes
4 injuries (4 fatalities)
Location
El Cajon, CA
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-181
Tail Number
N4318V
Operator
Golden State Aviation
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX86FA079

DRG ARRIVAL AT AN ARPT NEAR HIS HOME, THE PLT CONTACTED APCH CONTROL (CTL) & ASKED THE CTLR FOR ASSISTANCE IN LANDING & SAID THAT THE WX LOOKED A LITTLE FOGGY. THE CTLR INFORMED THE PLT OF THE ACFT'S POSITION IN RELATION TO THE ARPT. AS THE ACFT WAS DSCNDG TWD THE ARPT, THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE HAD ENTERED FOG AT ABOUT 4000' MSL. THE CTLR INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO CLIMB & MAINTAIN VFR, THEN ASKED IF THE PLT WOULD LIKE A LOCALIZER D APCH TO THE ARPT. ALTHO HE WAS NOT CERTIFIED FORINSTRUMENT FLT, THE PLT ACCEPTED THE APCH. THE ARPT WX AT THAT TIME WAS RPRTD (IN PART) AS: 1500' SCATTERED, VIS 7 MI. VECTORS WERE PROVIDED FOR THE APCH. AS THE ACFT WAS APCHG THE OUTER MARKER, THE PLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE TO TOWER FREQ. HE ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT THERE WAS NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE ACFT & RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 5 MI EAST OF THE ARPT, ON A HDG OF 050 DEG, IN THE VICINITY OF WHERE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THE 1746 PST SAN DIEGO WX WAS, IN PART: 2000' BROKEN, VIS 5 MI WITH HAZE.

Full Narrative

DRG ARRIVAL AT AN ARPT NEAR HIS HOME, THE PLT CONTACTED APCH CONTROL (CTL) & ASKED THE CTLR FOR ASSISTANCE IN LANDING & SAID THAT THE WX LOOKED A LITTLE FOGGY. THE CTLR INFORMED THE PLT OF THE ACFT'S POSITION IN RELATION TO THE ARPT. AS THE ACFT WAS DSCNDG TWD THE ARPT, THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE HAD ENTERED FOG AT ABOUT 4000' MSL. THE CTLR INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO CLIMB & MAINTAIN VFR, THEN ASKED IF THE PLT WOULD LIKE A LOCALIZER D APCH TO THE ARPT. ALTHO HE WAS NOT CERTIFIED FORINSTRUMENT FLT, THE PLT ACCEPTED THE APCH. THE ARPT WX AT THAT TIME WAS RPRTD (IN PART) AS: 1500' SCATTERED, VIS 7 MI. VECTORS WERE PROVIDED FOR THE APCH. AS THE ACFT WAS APCHG THE OUTER MARKER, THE PLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE TO TOWER FREQ. HE ACKNOWLEDGED, BUT THERE WAS NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE ACFT & RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 5 MI EAST OF THE ARPT, ON A HDG OF 050 DEG, IN THE VICINITY OF WHERE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THE 1746 PST SAN DIEGO WX WAS, IN PART: 2000' BROKEN, VIS 5 MI WITH HAZE.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:00 PST
Nearest AirportGillespie Field (5nm E)
Runway27R
Runway Length5341 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-28-181
Tail NumberN4318V
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorGolden 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 29 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
WindCalm
Visibility5 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 2000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point61 F / 0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time01:46
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data