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Casualties unknown

Airplane Strikes Mountain During Night Cruise in Controlled Flight (N803ZG)

Santa Barbara, CA, US

On November 11, 2004, a Piper PA-32R-301T (registration N803ZG) operated by Juan F. Padilla was involved in an aviation accident near Santa Barbara, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to select and maintain an adequate terrain avoidance cruise altitude. Contributing factors were the dark nighttime conditions, the rising mountainous terrain, and the Federal Aviation Administration controller's failure to issue a… This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards

An airplane collided with mountainous terrain during level controlled cruise flight at night. The pilot had reported being in and out of clouds, and the controller did not issue a terrain safety alert despite the aircraft's proximity to a known peak.

Incident Overview

The airplane impacted upsloping mountainous terrain while in level controlled cruise flight during a night cross-country journey. According to radar data, the pilot was cruising at approximately 6,500 feet as indicated by the mode C altitude reporting transponder. The flight was conducted under radar flight following service provided by a controller at the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center.

Pre-Flight and Weather Conditions

Prior to departure, the pilot informed the air traffic controller that he had received the airport's weather. The reported sky condition was broken, with layers at about 5,500 and 7,000 feet mean sea level. During the initial climb, the pilot requested information from the controller regarding cloud elevation, acknowledging that he "seems to be in a little bit of clouds...sort of in and out." He subsequently climbed into clearer conditions.

Flight Path and Communication

The airplane tracked near the centerline of Victor Airway 183, which has a published course of 195 degrees. The pilot was familiar with the roundtrip route between his home-base airport at Santa Barbara and Bakersfield, having flown it previously. During the final minutes of the radar-recorded flight, the pilot maintained a general cruising altitude of about 6,500 feet. The controller was aware that the minimum enroute altitude for aircraft on instrument clearances along the airway was 9,000 feet. Both the controller and the pilot had sectional aeronautical charts available, which depicted a 6,840-foot mean sea level mountain peak along the flight route.

Collision and Impact

The pilot's course did not deviate as he approached and struck the mountain during the dark nighttime flight. The bearing from the initial point of impact to the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport was 197 degrees. Additionally, the bearing and distance between the initial point of impact and the main wreckage were 198 degrees and 0.25 miles, respectively.

Controller Actions

The controller did not issue a terrain-related safety alert, as required by a Federal Aviation Administration order.

Controlled flight into terrain

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 11 Nov 2004 Piper PA-32R-301T accident near Santa Barbara, CA?

An airplane collided with mountainous terrain during level controlled cruise flight at night. The pilot had reported being in and out of clouds, and the controller did not issue a terrain safety alert despite the aircraft's proximity to a known peak.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 11 Nov 2004 involved a Piper PA-32R-301T, registration N803ZG, operated by Juan F. Padilla, at Santa Barbara, CA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's failure to select and maintain an adequate terrain avoidance cruise altitude. Contributing factors were the dark nighttime conditions, the rising mountainous terrain, and the Federal Aviation Administration controller's failure to issue a terrain-related safety alert.

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20041119X01844. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.