Controlled Flight Into Terrain · NTSB WPR09FA146
DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA-40 — Arcata, CA
| Date | March 2, 2009 |
| Location | Arcata, CA |
| Aircraft | DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC DA-40 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Night/Dark · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Approach-IFR final approach Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 30 |
| Pilot total time | 1,203 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 2 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Physical-Alertness/Fatigue-Circadian rhythms or jetlag-Pilot - F
- Personnel issues-Physical-Alertness/Fatigue-(general)-Pilot - F
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Incorrect use/operation - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Light condition-Dark-Effect on operation
What happened
The pilot was executing an over-water instrument approach to Runway 14 on a dark night in an area of moderate to heavy precipitation and light to moderate turbulence. Based upon the airplane's descent profile, recorded radar data, local ocean currents, and the ultimate distribution of debris along the beach, the airplane impacted the ocean's surface about one-half mile offshore and about seven statute miles northwest of the Arcata Airport. In the forty-two hours immediately preceding the accident, the pilot had flown about twenty hours and forty-five minutes, and had crossed four time zones. There was no record of the pilot acquiring a weather briefing relating to his destination on the day of the accident.