Cessna 340 accident near Garberville, CA
On November 6, 2007, a Cessna 340 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Garberville, CA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 6, 2007
- Place
- Garberville, CA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.076°N, 123.817°W
- NTSB ID
- 20071121X01830
Official records · SEA08LA021
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On November 6, 2007, at 0855 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 340, N5049Q, impacted trees while in a climb about one-quarter mile southwest of Garberville Airport, Garberville, California. The airline transport pilot and his two passengers were killed in the accident, and the airplane, which was owned by Roy E. Ladd, Inc., of Redding, California, was destroyed by the impact and the post-crash fire. The 14 CFR Part 91 business flight, which departed Redding, California, about 55 minutes prior to the accident, was operating in an area of dense fog and a low ceiling. According to witnesses and aviation surface weather observations (METAR's), on the morning of the accident, the weather around the northern part of California, including the coast, was clear with almost unlimited visibility. The weather conditions around Garberville were the same, except in an area directly over and immediately adjacent to the South Fork of the Eel River. Along the river, and specifically in the area where it flows along the east side and then to the south of the Garberville Airport, there was a band of dense low-level fog. According to a witness, the fog extended about one-quarter to one-half mile from each side of the river, and in most places from the surface to about 200 to 250 feet above ground level (AGL). Although the fog was somewhat patchy in some areas northeast of the airport, along the steeper terrain south of the airport it was "very dense" and "extremely heavy." According to a witness, when the airplane first arrived in the area of the non-controlled airport, it could be heard maneuve
Probable cause
The pilot's intentional visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain clearance from the trees and terrain during climb. Contributing to the accident were the weather conditions of fog and a low ceiling, and the mountainous/hilly terrain.
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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.
