On October 2, 1994, a Cessna 170B (registration N170CT) operated by David Miles was involved in an aviation accident near Ramona, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the noninstrument-rated pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation after encountering instrument meteorological conditions after the pilot decided to takeoff in adverse weather conditions. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft crashed approximately 1.5 miles southwest of the airport after the pilot performed a left turn during the initial climb.
What happened
After departing from the airport on runway 27, a pilot with a noninstrument rating climbed several hundred feet before executing a left turn. During this maneuver, a witness on the ground lost visual contact with the aircraft's position lights. Other witnesses reported hearing the aircraft flying at a low altitude overhead, and engine sounds were heard until the moment of impact.
The aircraft crashed approximately 1 1/2 miles southwest of the airport. At the time of the accident, witnesses near the crash site estimated the cloud base to be approximately 150 feet AGL, with visibility reduced to less than 3 miles due to fog.
Findings
One witness stated that the pilot had obtained a telephone weather briefing prior to departure. However, an investigation of FAA flight service facility records failed to find any record of a briefing being provided to the pilot.