NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 21, 1997, at an unknown time after 1830 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N6141D, rented from Fountaine Aviation, collided with rising mountainous terrain about 12.5 miles south of Cuyama, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and ground fire. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from the Santa Barbara, California, Municipal Airport at 1805.

According to the operator and family members, the pilot rented the airplane for a planned local area daytime flight to be accomplished between 1800 and 1930. The operator reported that both fuel tanks were completely full at departure. The pilot and the airplane were last observed during takeoff from Santa Barbara. The operator further reported that he became concerned about the pilot when he failed to return to Santa Barbara by 1930, and a search commenced.

No witnesses reported observing the airplane during the accident flight. Family members reported they believed the pilot had planned to fly over the mountains to view the scenery. They anticipated the pilot would land in time to have dinner with them at 2000.

Following the airplane's disappearance a search was conducted. No evidence of emergency locator beacon transmissions were recorded in the mountains surrounding the Santa Barbara area. The accident site was located on August 10, 1997.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to the pilot's family, until a few weeks prior to the accident flight, the pilot had not flown airplanes for several years. In June 1997, the pilot commenced recurrent flight training in order to prepare himself for possible employment as a pilot in Alaska. A review of the operator's rental and flight training records indicates that the pilot received 6.7 hours of dual instruction and completed a biennial flight review on June 12, 1997. The recurrent training included emergency procedures, steep turns, stalls, and forced landings. Thereafter, the pilot rented the airplane and flew either in solo flight or with a family member.

A partial review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records indicated that the pilot's commercial pilot privileges were in lighter than air free balloons. He had private pilot privileges in gliders and single engine land airplanes.

The operator further stated that he never observed the pilot's personal flight record logbook. The pilot's total flight times listed in this report are estimates and were based, in part, upon family reports. FAA records dated October 30, 1995, indicate the pilot's total flight time was 457 hours, and his total airplane flight time was 240 hours.

AIRPLANE INFORMATION

The operator reported that the airplane received its last annual inspection on May 2, 1997. No maintenance items remained uncorrected. The operator further reported that all systems in the airplane were functioning normally when the pilot departed for the accident flight. The FAA reviewed the airplane's maintenance logbooks and verbally reported finding compliance with all relevant inspections.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The operator was flying in another aircraft during the afternoon of June 21. He reported that the weather conditions around Santa Barbara were "perfect" VFR with modest winds aloft.

The Santa Barbara Municipal Airport is located about 21 miles south of the accident site, and the Bakersfield Municipal Airport is located about 51 miles north of the accident site. A review of meteorological reports for these locations between 1756 and 1959 revealed that their sky condition was generally clear, and the surface visibility was at least 10 miles.

COMMUNICATION

No evidence was found of communications between the pilot of N6141D and any facility.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

From an examination of the accident site and airplane wreckage, the airplane was found to have collided with estimated 40 degree upsloping rocky and mountainous terrain while maneuvering (or cruising) in a southwesterly direction. The principal axis of wreckage distribution was observed oriented along a magnetic track about 250 degrees.

The crash site elevation is approximately 5,400 feet mean sea level. No open fields or clearings exist in the accident site vicinity which is approximately 24 miles north of Santa Barbara. (See the photographs for views of the site and adjacent mountainside terrain.)

The entire airplane wreckage including evidence of all flight control surfaces was found at the crash site. Fragmented components from the left and right sides of the airplane were observed on the left and right side of the wreckage distribution area.

A postimpact ground fire consumed most of the fuselage and the majority of the wings and empennage. The engine, accessories, and the propeller were found partially melted and fragmented.

The initial point of impact (IPI) was noted by the presence of crushed rock, a shallow (estimated 1-foot deep, maximum) impact crater, and propeller spinner fragments. The terrain slope was observed to be sufficiently inclined to allow for the wreckage to slide downhill from the IPI area. All of the main wreckage was found within an estimated 90-foot downhill path from the IPI area.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Santa Barbara County coroner's office reported that insufficient specimens of the pilot remained to perform an autopsy or toxicological analysis.

The pilot's medical records maintained by the FAA were reviewed, family members were interviewed, and the medical examiner who issued the pilot his last aviation medical certificate was interviewed. None expressed any awareness of the pilot having a history of any physical condition or impairment that would have adversely affected his ability to operate the airplane.

The operator reported that the pilot did not manifest any unusual characteristics when he obtained keys to the airplane. He appeared healthy.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Airplane Wreckage Examination.

The airplane wreckage was recovered from the accident site and a partial layout was performed. The leading edges of both wings were observed crushed in an aft direction, with the crush line in the right wing being nearly perpendicular to the chord line and with the crush depth aft to the main spar. Both of the main wing spars appeared principally straight, and neither appeared bent in a lateral (spanwise) direction.

The engine assembly was externally examined. All fractures to the engine case appeared in impact damaged areas. The crankshaft, camshaft, and all observed internal components appeared connected. No evidence was found of preimpact failures.

Radar Data.

The Civil Air Patrol reported that a review of recorded radar data from the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) indicated that the airplane departed Santa Barbara using a discrete transponder code, and thereafter it proceeded in a northwesterly direction toward Santa Ynez. The radar track disappeared about 1824 when the airplane was between 10 and 12 miles southwest of Santa Ynez. The pilot's planned route of flight was not determined.

The Civil Air Patrol further reported that a subsequent review of both primary radar targets and secondary transponder code 1200 targets was accomplished following discovery of the wreckage. The radar data review was performed for all altitudes during the time period between 1822 and 2000. No evidence of radar tracks in the vicinity of the crash site were observed.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

All recovered wreckage was released to the operator's insurance adjuster on August 15, 1997. No parts were retained.

NTSB Probable Cause

undetermined.