NTSB Factual Report

On April 29, 2007, at 2051 Pacific daylight time, a Beech B36TC, N3172L, struck wires and impacted a dirt field in West Athens, California, while on an instrument approach to the Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR), Hawthorne, California. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Glendale Municipal Airport (GEU), Glendale, Arizona, some time after 1900 mountain standard time, with a planned destination of HHR.

A review of the Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (SCT) radar data and communications revealed that the pilot requested a visual flight rules (VFR) approach to HHR. SCT advised him that the last reported weather conditions at HHR was the ceiling overcast at 1,200 feet above ground level (agl). The controller asked him if he was IFR qualified, and the pilot acknowledged that he was qualified. The pilot was instructed to maintain VFR, because IFR was not currently allowed due to conflicting Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) traffic.

The controller instructed the pilot to descend to 3,000 feet, maintain VFR, and intercept the runway 25 localizer. The controller then asked the pilot if he'd like to fly the localizer approach or maintain VFR. The pilot responded, "I'd like to descend VFR...I haven't done one in uh, two months." Approximately 4 minutes later, the pilot stated that "...looking pretty bad right now, I can't see much of anything." The controller then asked if the pilot wanted to execute the localizer approach or go to another airport, and the pilot acknowledged he'll do the localizer approach.

During the approach, the radar target identified by ID tag "N3172L" was observed about 2 minutes prior to the accident to be below the minimum descent altitude (MDA) of 740 feet msl. (The MDA for the HHR runway 25 localizer approach is typically 600 feet, however, notice to airman (NOTAM) 7/4813 was in effect at the time of the accident. NOTAM 7/4813 increased the MDA to 740 feet.) The SCT controller told the pilot that she received a minimum safe altitude warning (MSAW) alert, advised the pilot of the warning, and asked him if he had the airport in sight. The pilot replied that he did not have the airport in sight and he was underneath the clouds. SCT instructed the pilot to switch to the local UNICOM frequency for HHR. No further communications were received from the pilot.

The last radar return for the target was in the area of the accident site/location at a mode C reported altitude of 300 feet.

The closest official weather observation station was HHR. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for HHR was issued at 2053. The METAR reported the wind from 240 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 6 statute miles; sky overcast 800 feet and haze; temperature 16 degrees Celsius; dew point 13 degrees Celsius; and altimeter 30.01 inches of Mercury.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) responded to the accident site. The airplane collided with the top two static cables located adjacent to a high-tension tower identified as Wil-Gra number 1079. A technician from The City of Los Angeles - Department of Water and Power, the owner of the high-tension tower, estimated that the two static cables were severed approximately 60 feet southeast of tower number 1079. The height of tower number 1079 was reported to be 118 feet agl. The location of tower number 1079, using a handheld GPS unit, was 33 degrees 55.506 minutes north latitude and 118 degrees 18.008 minutes west longitude, with an elevation recorded at 164 feet msl. The high-tension power lines were on the east side of Normandie Avenue just north of the 120th street intersection, approximately 1.5 miles east of HHR. The main wreckage came to rest inverted in a dirt field located on the west side of Normandie Avenue.

Examination of the wreckage revealed the forward fuselage, engine, and cockpit were crushed aft. The left main and nose landing gears contained abrasions consistent with wire contact. No anomalies were noted with the airframe and engine.

The pilot, age 26, held a private pilot certificate, issued December 27, 2004, with single engine land and instrument airplane ratings. According to the pilot's logbook, on the morning of the accident, the pilot received his complex and high performance airplane endorsements. At the time of the accident, the pilot had accumulated 237 total flight hours and 15 flight hours in the accident airplane. The accident flight was the pilot's first solo flight in the airplane. In preceding 6 months of logged flights, the pilot had not conducted any instrument flying procedures.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's descent below the published minimum descent altitude for the instrument approach procedure, which resulted in a collision with wires and terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's lack of recent experience in the accident airplane and in instrument meteorological conditions, and the night lighting conditions.