NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On December 19, 1998, at 0148 hours Pacific standard time, a Piper PA28-181, N6272J, was destroyed after colliding with mountainous terrain near Santa Clarita, California. The pilot received fatal injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. The flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. According to the aircraft owner, the pilot was to have departed Van Nuys, California, about 1800 for Lake Havasu City (HII), Arizona, and returned to Van Nuys by 0200.

A statement from the friend/flight instructor that the pilot visited at Lake Havasu City reported that he picked the pilot up at 2130. He and the pilot proceeded to put 5 gallons of fuel into the airplane, which the friend had obtained earlier that day from the fuel truck at the airport. The airport fuel service was closed at the time of the pilot's arrival.

They went to see a mutual friend to show jewelry items and to a restaurant for dinner before returning to the airport. After a preflight of the airplane, the pilot departed Lake Havasu City at 2300.

En route at 2329, the pilot contacted Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTC) in visual meteorological conditions at 10,500 feet msl 60 miles east of the Hector Vortac, requesting VFR flight following. The controller issued a discreet transponder code and requested the pilot's destination.

At 2357, the pilot requested a brief frequency change to contact flight watch for the current Van Nuys weather. At 2400, the pilot was back on frequency with ARTC.

At 0125, the pilot was handed off to the Moorpark sector of the Southern California Tracon. The pilot reported on a SOCAL frequency at 8,500 feet msl. The pilot was cleared to the Van Nuys airport via heading 260 degrees and radar vectors to the ILS runway 16R approach. He was advised to maintain VFR at or above 6,000 feet msl.

Between about 0135 and 0147, the pilot had problems receiving the localizer signal and when directed onto the localizer could not stay on it.

The pilot was unable to follow the controller's altitude and heading instructions to intercept the localizer and proceed inbound to the Van Nuys airport. He was advised left of the localizer course and below his assigned altitude four times and a loss of radar contact two times. At 0147, radio and radar contact was lost about 9 miles north of the Van Nuys airport.

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot's logbook was recovered in the wreckage. The last logged flight was October 27, 1998. According to the logbook the pilot's total logged flight time was 555.1 hours. His total IFR actual time was 30.6, with 63.2 simulated hours. His total flight hours logged in the last 6 months was 31.3 hours, with no actual instrument and .9 simulated hours.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot's last recorded third-class physical was conducted on September 16, 1996.

A current biennial flight review for the pilot was not found; however, located inside the logbook biennial flight review and medical certificate section, an instructor signed, but undated, biennial flight review statement was found.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

According to aircraft records the last annual inspection occurred June 15, 1998, at 2,324.5 tachometer hours. The last logbook entry dated September 3, 1998 recorded the installation of an S-Tec model 55 autopilot.

A renter pilot contacted the Safety Board and reported VOR problems while instrument flight training with his flight instructor. They had experienced a sticking VOR indicator needle while on localizer frequencies.

In the pilot's logbook, remarks column, the following entries were made: June 15, 1998, 1-hour flight "Oxnard ILS approach abort, VOR not working;" June 21, 1998, a 1.9-hour flight "localizer not working."

According to Able Avionics invoice No. 10911 dated June 25,1997, the No. 1 VOR indicator, a King KI-209 serial No.6087, was removed for repair of the needle rubbing on the card.

On August 29,1998, Able Avionics invoice 12539 documented the repair of both No.'s 1 and 2 indicators. No. 2 is a King KI-201C VOR indicator. The invoice stated that both VOR's were out of calibration limits and the No. 1 indicator "localizer needle does not have good deflection." Subsequently, both indicators were recalibrated, tested, and reinstalled in the aircraft with a final ramp check.

On October 24, 1998, Able Avionics invoice 12671 documented the repair to the No. 1 VOR indicator. The KI-209 was reported to have a 10-degree error in the indicator. The indicator was aligned as per the King Maintenance Manual and reinstalled into the aircraft with a vibration test.

Examination of the airframe logbook failed to find compliance with FAR 91.172 (transponder) and FAR 91.171 (static and altimeter). They were subsequently changed to 91.411 and 91.413. The recertification of the systems is required every 24 months for flight in controlled airspace under instrument flight rules.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0151, the Van Nuys weather was reporting: winds 150 degrees at 5 knots; 10 miles visibility; broken clouds at 1,500; overcast at 2,300; temperature 54 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 46 degrees Fahrenheit; and the altimeter was 29.99 inHg.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was located about 2,200 feet msl in the Angeles National Forest and was first viewed by helicopter. An impact heading was not determined. The last recorded radar heading was about 340 degrees at 3,015 feet msl at 0147:02. The wreckage was in dense Manzanita brush on mountainous/hilly terrain estimated to be about 40/45 degrees of slope. The first examination occurred during helicopter sling load recovery. The entire aircraft, engine, and propeller were recovered. Some instruments and radios were not recovered/located.

The damaged recording tachometer was examined. The needle pointer was found in the area of 2,300 rpm. The recording number wheels were destroyed. Examination of the fractured crankshaft flange revealed a point of rotational bluing of the fracture surface.

The damaged directional gyro was recovered. An overhaul sticker on the instrument case was dated September 1, 1998. The instrument card was indicating 300 degrees. The gyro rotor was removed and examined. Rotational rubbing was noted on the rotor and on the rotor housing.

The airspeed indicator was recovered. Close examination of the instrument face revealed a possible needle mark about 125 knots. The needle was missing.

The damaged gyro suction gauge was recovered and examined. The needle was found indicating about 3 inHg.

The engine and fuel gauge cluster was destroyed except for the fuel pressure indicator needle, which was found in the high green, about 6 psi.

The only navigation lamp recovered was the taillight; the element was observed to be fractured without stretching of the element.

The engine driven dry vacuum pump was removed and examined. The drive coupling was intact. The carbon block was fractured. All six vanes were intact and in their proper position.

The King KI-209 VOR/LOC indicator installed in the No. 1 position was not recovered. The operational condition of the instrument at the time of the accident is unknown.

A damaged, King KI-201C indicator from the No. 2 position was recovered. The 160-degree radial was indicated with a full right needle deflection.

A damaged, King KX170B Navcom radio was recovered and examined. A comm frequency of 134.50 was observed with 112.15 in the nav portion.

The damaged ADF radio and indicator was recovered but provided no useful information.

A Jeppesen Van Nuys ILS runway 16R approach chart (11-1), dated 20 June 1997, was found loose in the wreckage.

The damaged propeller was recovered with the engine crankshaft flange still attached and severed from the engine. The propeller exhibited leading edge damage a severed tip and chordwise striations.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

On December 20, 1998, the Los Angeles County Coroner performed an autopsy on the pilot. During the course of the examination the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma obtained samples for toxicological analysis. The results of the analysis were negative for drugs and volatiles.

TESTS AND RESEARCH INFORMATION

No avionics were tested due to the fragmented condition of what was recovered.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The wreckage was released to the insurance company representative on March 9, 1999.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft. Factors were the night weather conditions and the lack of total and recent instrument flight time.