Beechcraft 76 N5269M

Summary

On 17 September 1992 at about 01:00 local time, a Beechcraft 76 registered N5269M, operated by Willamette Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Mount Shasta, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 September 1992 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mount Shasta, California, United States

Coordinates

41.3099, -122.3194

Aircraft

Beechcraft 76

Registration

N5269M

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Willamette Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Aurora → Stockton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92FA389

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EN ROUTE DECISION TO ALTER HIS COURSE AND TO PROCEED OVER A MOUNTAINOUS AREA WITH INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE RISING TERRAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT, WHO HELD A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE, AND THE PASSENGER, WHO HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE, TOOK OFF AND INITIALLY FLEW TOWARD THEIR SOUTHERLY DESTINATION ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN. THE PASSENGER WAS EMPLOYED BY A TELEVISION STATION WHICH HAD HIRED THE PILOT TO FLY HIM TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR A PHOTO ASSIGNMENT. IT WAS A CLEAR DAY, AND WHILE EN ROUTE THE PILOT CANCELLED HIS FLIGHT PLAN. THEREAFTER, ALL FAA SERVICES WERE TERMINATED. THE PILOT HAD INDICATED THAT DURING THE FLIGHT HE PLANNED TO FLY VIA VICTOR AIRWAY 23. THE AIRPLANE PROCEEDED ABOUT 23 NM EAST OF COURSE AND APPROACHED MOUNT SHASTA, ELEVATION 14,162 FEET MSL. WITNESSES, WHO WERE LOCATED AT ABOUT THE 6,700 FOOT LEVEL ON THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING WITHIN ABOUT 40 FEET OF THE TOPS OF TREES AND TOWARD RISING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO REVERSE ITS COURSE AND THEN DESCEND INTO THE 7600 TO 7800 FT MSL TERRAIN WHEREUPON A FIRE IMMEDIATELY STARTED. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.