Piper PA 34-200T N66SL

Summary

On 7 January 1991 at about 02:35 local time, a Piper PA 34-200T registered N66SL, operated by Shasta Livestock, Inc, was involved in an accident near Red Bluff, California, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 January 1991 at 02:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Red Bluff, California, United States

Nearest airport

Red Bluff (RBL)

Coordinates

40.1307, -122.4301

Aircraft

Piper PA 34-200T

Registration

N66SL

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Shasta Livestock, Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Redmond → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX91LA067

Nobody was injured.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO DETECT A DESCENT BELOW THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE FOR THE APPROACH IN USE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT SAID THE FLIGHT WAS NORMAL UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE VOR APPROACH. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED THE PROCEDURE TURN AND WAS INBOUND TO THE VOR THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING THROUGH ABOUT 1,300 FEET MSL (1,000 FEET AGL) AND THAT THE DESCENT RATE WAS STABALIZED AND WAS SUFFICIENT TO MAKE THE CROSSING RESTRICTION AT THE VOR. THE PILOT STATED THAT SHE THEN SCANNED THE VOR NAVIGATION HEADS 'FOR A FEW SECONDS' TO CROSS CHECK THE AIRCRAFT POSITION ON THE APPROACH COURSE RADIAL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT FLEW INTO LEVEL TERRAIN ABOUT 1.5 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.