http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001214X38454&key=1
NTSB Identification: LAX86MA074.
The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 33490.
Accident occurred Monday, December 23, 1985 in CONCORD, CA
Aircraft: BEECH 95-A55, registration: N1494G
Injuries: 7 Fatal,17 Serious,62 Minor.
NTSB investigators traveled in support of this investigation and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
DRG ARR, THE ACFT WAS VECTORED FOR AN LDA RWY 19R APCH. AFTER BEING CLRD FOR THE APCH, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED & TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR. AT 2033 PST, HE RPRTD INBND AT THE FINAL APCH FIX & WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH.APRX 2 MIN LATER, HE DECLARED A MISSED APCH. THE TWR CONTROLLER (CTLR) INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO CONTACT TRAVIS DEP CTL, BUTONLY A ‘GARBLED’ REPLY WAS HEARD. THERE WAS NO FURTHER RDO CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. AFTER CROSSING THE ARPT ON A SSE HDG, THE ACFT ENTERED A LEFT CLBG TURN AS IF TO BEGIN THE MISSED APCH PROCEDURE, THEN IT TURNED RGT AS IF TO BEGIN A DWNWND &BASE LEG FOR RWY 1L. WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT ENTERED CLDS & SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT REAPPEARED IN A STEEP, DSCNDG, RGT TURN. IT THEN CRASHED INTO A DEPT STORE APRX 1 MI SOUTH OF THE ARPT WHILE IN A 32 DEG RGT BANK, 6 DEG NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND THAT WOULD HAVE LED TO THE ACDNT. THE WX (IN PART) WAS: 400’ OBSCD, VIS 3/4 MI WITH FOG; SAME AS LDA MINS. MINS FOR CIRCLING APCH WERE 600’ & 1 MI. NO COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER INSTALLED OR REQD.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
AIRCRAFT HANDLING..NOT MAINTAINED..PILOT IN COMMAND
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
SPATIAL DISORIENTATION..PILOT IN COMMAND
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
SPIRAL..INADVERTENT..PILOT IN COMMAND
Contributing Factors
LIGHT CONDITION..DARK NIGHT
Contributing Factors
WEATHER CONDITION..LOW CEILING
Contributing Factors
WEATHER CONDITION..FOG
Contributing Factors
IFR PROCEDURE..NOT FOLLOWED..PILOT IN COMMAND
PDF reports:
Factual
http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/GenPDF.aspx?id=LAX86MA074&rpt=fa
Probable cause
http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/GenPDF.aspx?id=LAX86MA074&rpt=fi
Thanks. Spatial disorientation can even happen to trained instrument rated pilots. I have an instrument rating but never flew in actual IFR during training, only under the hood or goggles. I always felt that because of that I was not really trained even though I passed the tests and got the rating. I never did fly actual IFR.