NTSB Identification: LAX03FA182
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, June 06, 2003 in Los Angeles, CA
Aircraft: Beech A36TC, registration: N1856P
Injuries: 5 Fatal, 7 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On June 6, 2003, at 1555 Pacific daylight time, a Beech A36TC, N1856P, descended into a 3-story apartment building in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, California. The private pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. A postimpact fire destroyed the airplane. The pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries. One person in the apartment building was fatally injured, and there were 7 serious ground injuries. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The personal cross-country flight departed the Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO), Santa Monica, California, at 1545, for an intermediate stopover to the McCarran International Airport (LAS), Las Vegas, Nevada. The final destination of the flight was Sun Valley, Idaho. The primary wreckage was at 34 degrees 04.908 minutes north latitude and 118 degrees 21.453 minutes west longitude.
Meteorological Terminal Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) for SMO at 1751, reported winds from 260 degrees at 10 knots and visibility at 10 statute miles. There was an overcast ceiling at 3,100 feet above ground level (agl); temperature was 18-degrees Celsius, dewpoint was 14-degrees Celsius; and the altimeter was 29.93 inHg. Automated Weather Observing Station (AWOS) information "SIERRA" was current.
The accident site was located at 601 N. Spaulding in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. The airplane collided with the roof of an apartment and came to rest in a subterranean parking lot on the first floor. Approximately 25 percent of the airplane was recovered during a 2-day period.
According to friends of the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to drop off his niece in Las Vegas and continue on to Sun Valley, where he was going to show his property to the other two passengers.
One witness stated that he observed the airplane flying straight and level, then saw the nose pitch up. The airplane began to climb, and he lost sight of the airplane as it entered the clouds. When he saw the airplane again, it was in a nose down attitude spinning. He lost sight of the airplane behind some trees and buildings.
A compilation of witnesses indicated that they saw the airplane in a nose down attitude and spinning towards the ground. They also stated that there was a high-pitch noise coming from the engine, and that the engine was not sputtering.
The Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) reviewed recorded radar data from the Southern California Terminal Radar Control (SoCal TRACON). The radar data indicated a mode C secondary 1200 (VFR) beacon code in a location and time frame consistent with the accident airplane's departure from Santa Monica. The recorded radar data indicated that the beacon return target was headed in an easterly direction and maintained a reported altitude of 2,200 feet mean sea level (msl) from 22:50:51.2 to 22:51:55.9, at which point the mode C report climbed to an altitude of 2,600 feet msl. At 22:52:00.5, the mode C report climbed again to 3,100 feet msl, and at 22:52:05.5, it was reporting 3,300 feet msl. The last radar return was 22:52:19.4, at 2,400 feet msl.
The IIC reviewed the recorded radio communications from SMO tower. At 2238:41, N1856P contacted the SMO Tower controller and requested taxi instructions. The pilot advised he had information "Romeo." The SMO controller instructed the pilot to taxi to runway 21. At 2244:31, N1856P advised ready for departure and requested a right downwind departure. He then asked if the controller heard if the weather was clearing up to the east. The controller responded "no," and mentioned that Disneyland was cloudy. The pilot replied that he was going to try and get out of the basin via Ontario, and try and pop up through the "broken layers/broken stuff" in the area.
At 2245:53, the SMO controller cleared N1856P for takeoff and approved the right downwind departure. The pilot advised he would stay under 3,000 feet. At 2249:12, N1856P requested the SOCAL frequency, SMO responded with the frequency, and the pilot requested the tower to advise him when he could switch to that frequency.
At 2249:36, the SMO controller advised N1856P of traffic on final and the pilot reported, "I'm staying low till east of you." At 2250:46, N1856P requested a frequency change, and SMO approved the change. The SMO controller issued traffic at the pilot's 12 o'clock position, 2 miles at 2,000 feet. N1856P advised he did not have the traffic insight and would remain on the SMO frequency for a bit longer. At 2251:22, the SMO controller issued the traffic again to N1856P, now at his 11 o'clock position 1 mile at 2,000 feet, which the pilot reported in sight. N1856P advised he was leaving the frequency, which the SMO controller acknowledged. No further transmissions were received from the pilot. SOCAL had no record of the pilot contacting them.
The airframe and engine were inspected at Aircraft Recovery Services, Littlerock, California, on June 9, 2003. Investigators from the Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, Beech, and Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) were present.
External examination of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies. A teardown inspection will be conducted at a later date.
The airframe was inspected, with flight control continuity established by measuring flight control cables, and identifying the associated hardware. No anomalies were noted with the airframe inspection.
