Cessna 340A accident near Bishop, CA
On August 9, 2003, a Cessna 340A (airplane) was involved in an accident near Bishop, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 9, 2003
- Place
- Bishop, CA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.377°N, 118.364°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030812X01317
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 8, 2003, at 2132 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 340A, N340DC, collided with terrain after a loss of control in the takeoff initial climb from the Bishop Airport (BIH), Bishop, California. The airplane was operated by the owner under 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed by post impact fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The first leg of the flight originated at Upland, California, about 1915. After deplaning two passengers at BIH and refueling, the airplane was departing on the return leg to Upland when the accident occurred. Witnesses reported watching the airplane accelerate on runway 12, rotate, and climb to about 200 - 300 feet above ground level with a decrease in climb rate; the airplane was then seen to initiate a left turn rolling to what appeared to be a wings vertical attitude. At this point the airplane descended into the terrain. One witness north of the accident site described the landing lights going from horizontal to vertical followed by a decrease in engine sound just before impact. The impact site was east of the airport about 0.68 nautical miles. The departure direction is towards the White Mountain Range with sparse population and few ground reference lights. PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot started his aviation career as an Aviation Maintenance Technician with the issuance of an airframe and powerplant certificate on January 25, 1990. He then obtained a flight engineer certi
Probable cause
the pilot's in-flight loss of control due to a Somatogravic illusion and/or spatial disorientation. Factors in the accident were the dark lighting conditions and the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane.
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Browse: California · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
