NTSB AVIATION ACCIDENT/INCIDENT DATABASE REPORT
LAX86MA074.html
1985, 3f4fg16sg62mg, within 1 mile of Buchanan Field.
(Sun Valley Mall Crash)
General Information
Data Source: NTSB AVIATION ACCIDENT/INCIDENT DATABASE
Report Number: LAX86MA074
Local Date: 12/23/1985
Local Time: 2036 PST
State: CA
City: CONCORD
Airport Name: BUCHANAN FIELD
Airport Id: CCR
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Injury Severity: FATAL
Report Status: FINAL
Mid Air Collision: NO
Operations Information
Category of Operation: GENERAL AVIATION
Aircraft Type: AIRPLANE
Aircraft Damage: DESTROYED
Phase of Flight: 560 APPROACH
Aircraft Make/Model: BEECH BE-95-A55
Operator Doing Business As:
Operator Name: ARK DISTIBUTING CO., INC.
Operator Code:
Operator:
Owner Name: SALE REPORTED
Narrative
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 CONTROL LER (CTLR) INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO CONTACT TRAVIS
DEP CTL, BUT ONLY A "GARBLED" REPLY WAS HEARD. THERE WAS NO FURTHER RDO
C ONTACT 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 T HE ARPT WHILE IN A 32 DEG RGT BANK, 6 DEG NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.
NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND THAT WOULD HAV E 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 WE RE 600' & 1 MI. NO COCKPIT VOICE
RECORDER INSTALLED OR REQD.
Sequence of Events
Occurrence #: 1 250 LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT
Phase of Operation: 569 MISSED APPROACH (IFR)
Findings
Subject - Modifier - Personnel Cause/Factor
1a. 20100(S) - 2305(M) Factor
LIGHT CONDITION - DARK NIGHT
2a. 20000(S) - 2214(M) Factor
WEATHER CONDITION - LOW CEILING
3a. 20000(S) - 2206(M) Factor
WEATHER CONDITION - FOG
4b. 24544(S) - 3118(M) - 4001(P)
MISSED APPROACH - INITIATED -
5b. 24024(S) - 3124(M) - 4000(P) Factor
IFR PROCEDURE - NOT FOLLOWED - PILOT IN COMMAND
6b. 24500(S) - 3127(M) - 4000(P) Cause
AIRCRAFT HANDLING - NOT MAINTAINED - PILOT IN COMMAND
6dir. 43400(S) - 5000(P) Cause
SPATIAL DISORIENTATION - PILOT IN COMMAND
7b. 24550(S) - 3113(M) - 4000(P) Cause
SPIRAL - INADVERTENT - PILOT IN COMMAND
Occurrence #: 2 220 IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT
Phase of Operation: 568 APPROACH - CIRCLING (IFR)
Findings
Subject - Modifier - Personnel Cause/Factor
1a. 20200(S) - 2508(M)
OBJECT - BUILDING (NONRESIDENTIAL)
Aircraft Information
Number of Seats: 4
Aircraft Use: PERSONAL
Type of Operation: 14 CFR 91
Domestic/International:
Passenger/Cargo:
Registration Number: 1494G
Air Carrier Operating Certificates:
Aircraft Fire: ON GROUND
Injuries
Fatal Serious Minor None
Crew 1 0 0 0
Pass 2 0 0 0
Other 4 17 62 0
Invlvd 7 17 62 0
Landing Gear: TRICYCLE-RETRACTABLE
Certificated Maximum Gross Weight: 4800
Engine Make: CONTINENTAL
Engine Model: IO-470-L
Number of Engines: 2
Engine Type: RECIPROCATING-FUEL INJECTED
Environment/Location Information
Basic Weather Conditions: INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC)
Wind Direction (deg): 30
Wind Speed (knots): 9
Visibility (sm): 1
Visibility RVR (ft): 0
Visibility RVV (sm): 0
Cloud Height Above Ground Level (ft): 400
Visibility Restrictions: FOG (F)
Precipitation Type: NONE
Light Condition: NIGHT (DARK)
Departure Airport Id: SBP
Departure City: SAN LUIS OBISPO
Departure State: CA
Destination Airport Id:
Destination City:
Destination State:
Flight Plan Filed: NONE
ATC Clearance: IFR
VFR Approach/Landing: NONE
Event Location: OFF AIRPORT/AIRSTRIP
Pilot-in-Command
Certificates: COMMERCIAL, FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR
Ratings:
Plane: SINGLE ENGINE LAND, MULTIENGINE LAND
Non-Plane: GLIDER
Instrument: AIRPLANE
Had Current BFR: YES
Months Since Last BFR: 7
Medical Certificate: CLASS 2
Medical Certificate Validity: VALID MEDICAL-WITH WAIVERS/LIMITATIONS
Flight Time (Hours)
Total : 15351 Last 24 Hrs : 0
Make/Model : 0 Last 30 Days: 0
Instrument : 860 Last 90 Days: 0
Multi-Engine: 0 Rotorcraft : 0