Casualties unknown

Pilot Without Instrument Rating Crashes on Cross-Country Flight Over Mountains (N3322V)

Santa Paula, CA, US

On May 7, 1988, a Beech 35 (registration N3322V) operated by Morton, Francis W. was involved in an aviation accident near Santa Paula, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED AT WHICH THE AIRCRAFT IS CONTROLLABLE AND ABOVE THE STALL SPEED. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A non-instrument rated pilot and passenger departed on a cross-country flight without a weather briefing or flight plan. The aircraft climbed to 9,500 feet, entered a spiraling descent, and was found wrecked on a mountain two weeks later.

Flight Details

A non-instrument rated pilot and a passenger took off on a cross-country flight over mountainous terrain. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing or file a flight plan before departure. At the departure airport, the reported cloud levels were scattered at 2,500 feet and broken at 10,000 feet.

Flight Path

A radar plot of the aircraft's track after takeoff showed it turned onto course while climbing. The aircraft made a 360-degree climbing turn through 4,500 to 5,000 feet and continued climbing toward its destination. As the aircraft reached 9,500 feet, it entered a spiraling descent.

Wreckage Discovery

The wreckage of the aircraft was found on a mountain two weeks after the accident. The investigation did not provide further details on damage, injuries, or other contributing factors.

Investigation

The official investigation noted the pilot's lack of an instrument rating and the absence of a weather briefing or flight plan. The weather conditions included scattered and broken cloud layers at the departure airport. The aircraft's behavior—a climbing turn followed by a spiraling descent at altitude—suggests a loss of control, but the report does not assign a probable cause.

Conclusion

The accident remains under investigation with the publicly available information limited to the facts described above. No causal factors have been explicitly stated in the source material.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001213X25716. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.