Piper PA28-161 N2951S

Summary

On 11 March 1990 at about 06:55 local time, a Piper PA28-161 registered N2951S, operated by Kazuhiko Nakamura, was involved in an accident near Malibu, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 March 1990 at 06:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Malibu, California, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA28-161

Registration

N2951S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Kazuhiko Nakamura

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oxnard → Santa Monica

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX90FA113

4 people died.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO TURN INTO AN AREA OF KNOWN HIGH TERRAIN AFTER INADVERTENTLY ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS TOOK OFF ON A FLIGHT UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES AND IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS TO ANOTHER AIRPORT FOR DINNER. AFTER DINNER THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGERS TOOK OFF ON A NIGHT FLIGHT, UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES, TO RETURN TO THEIR HOME AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT INITIALLY CLIMBED TO 2700 FEET MSL THEN BEGAN A SLOW ENROUTE DESCENT. RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST AS IT DESCENDED THROUGH 1800 FEET MSL WHILE TRACKING OVER THE COAST ON AN EASTERLY HEADING. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A MOUNTAIN, NORTH OF THE COAST LINE, AT AN ELEVATION OF 1600 FEET, WHILE IN LEVEL FLIGHT AND WHILE ON A WESTERLY HEADING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.