FORT BRAGG, CA, USA
N8338N
PIPER PA-28-181
AFTER ARRIVING AT THE MENDOCINO COUNTY ARPT, AT ABOUT 1630 PST, THE PLT & PAX OBTAINED A CAR & WENT TO MENDOCINO FOR DINNER. DRG THE EVENING, THEY CONSUMED SVRL DRINKS & HAD A BOTTLE OF WINE WITH THEIR DINNER, THEN WENT BACK TO THE ARPT. ALTHO IT WAS A DARK NGT, THE PLT TOOK OFF (TWD THE OCEAN AT APRX 2200 PST) WITHOUT ACTIVATING THE RWY LGTS. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT DEPARTED ON A SOUTHERLY HDG OVR AN AREA WITH 'VERY FEW GROUND LIGHTS.' SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CRASHED IN A REDWOOD FOREST ABOUT 1 MI SOUTH OF THE ARPT. AN INV REVEALED THAT THE INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WHILE THE ACFT WAS DSCNDG IN A SHALLOW DIVE ON A WESTERLY HDG. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK INDICATED THE PLT HAD AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.204%. THE LAST ENTRY IN HIS LOG BOOK FOR A NGT FLT WAS DATED 5/15/83.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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