NEAR PALA, CA, USA
N2462D
CESSNA 170B
ACCORDING TO A FRIEND OF THE PLT, HE (THE PLT) HAD WATCHED WX INFOR ON TV, ON 3/20/83. TO THE FRIEND'S KNOWLEDGE, THE PLT HAD NEVER TELEPHONED THE FAA FSS FOR A WX BRIEFING OR TO FILE A FLT PLAN. AFTER THE FRIEND TOOK THE PLT & HIS WIFE (WHO WAS ALSO A PLT) TO THE ARPT, HE OBSERVED THE ACFT DEPART TO THE EAST WHERE THE WX LOOKED VERY DARK. APRX 30 T0 35 MIN LATER, WITNESSES HEARD THE ACFT CIRCLE AT LOW ALTITUDE IN THE VICINITY OF THE PALOMAR OBSERVATORY. THEY THEN HEARD A LOUD NOISE WHEN THE ACFT HIT A 110 FT TREE, APRX 80 FT AGL. NONE OF THE WITNESSES COULD SEE THE ACFT. REPORTEDLY, THE CEILING & VISIBILITY WERE AT OR NEAR ZERO-ZERO, WIND FROM 360 DEG AT 5 KTS, TEMPERATURE 30 DEG, WITH HEAVY SNOW & FOG THAT CONTINUED THRU-OUT THE DUTY. NEITHER OF THE PLTS WERE INSTRUMENT RATED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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