History of Flight
On February 2, 2008, at approximately 1340 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 340A, N354TJ, collided with mountainous terrain while maneuvering near Cabazon, California. The private pilot and his three passengers were killed; impact forces destroyed the airplane. The pilot, registered owner, operated the airplane under 14 CFR Part 91. The personal cross-country flight originated from Bermuda Dunes Airport (UDD) in Palm Springs, California, about 1330, with a planned destination of Chino Airport in Chino, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the nearest official reporting station; instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the accident area. No flight plan had been filed.
A family member reported the airplane overdue to the FAA on February 6, 2008, after becoming concerned that the pilot had not been seen since February 2. The FAA issued an alert notification (ALNOT). On the afternoon of February 6, the Civil Air Patrol commenced search and rescue operations in the vicinity of the last FAA radar return. Aerial units located the airplane on the afternoon of February 9, 2008, within mountainous terrain about 6.75 miles northeast of Banning Municipal Airport in Banning, California.
Review of Air Traffic Control communications and radar data from Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (SCT TRACON) revealed that radar services were terminated due to anticipation of losing radar coverage within Banning Pass. SCT notified the pilot to contact the next sector once through the pass while staying northwest of Interstate 10 due to traffic in the opposite direction. The pilot later contacted SCT, asking if he still needed to remain on the northwesterly heading; the controller replied that he never assigned such a heading. Radar contact was lost at 1340, and no further radio communications were received.
Radar data indicated the flight originated from Bermuda Dunes and proceeded on a northeasterly course. At 1337, the target turned left to an easterly heading at a Mode C altitude of about 6,400 feet msl. At 1339, the airplane climbed to 6,900 feet before initiating a descending right turn to 5,800 feet prior to losing radar contact. The last radar return was 0.65 miles southeast of the accident site.
Personnel Information
The 75-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on October 31, 2006, with the limitation "Must wear corrective lenses." At his most recent medical application, the pilot reported 5,972 total hours of flight time.
Aircraft Information
The six-seat, low-wing, retractable gear, Cessna 340A airplane, serial number 340A0042, was manufactured in 1976 and certified in the normal category. It was powered by two Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520-NB engines (right engine serial number 519528, left engine serial number 519500), rated at 310 horsepower each, driving two three-bladed Hartzell constant speed propellers. Airframe and engine logbooks were not located during the investigation.
Meteorological Information
A weather reporting station at Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), 19.75 miles southeast of the accident site, reported at 1353: wind from 320 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; scattered clouds at 10,000 and 20,000 feet; temperature 16°C; dew point 2°C; altimeter 29.99 inHg. Another station at March Airbase in Riverside, about 29 miles southwest, reported at 1355: wind from 310 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; broken clouds at 4,000 feet; temperature 11°C; dew point 4°C; altimeter 30.06 inHg.
A pilot of a Cessna 170 flying westbound at 8,500 feet msl through Banning Pass around 1415 reported overcast cloud coverage in the area of Banning Municipal Airport extending west to the Interstate 91 and Interstate 215 interchange. The ceiling was around 4,000 feet msl, and the tops were 7,000 feet msl or higher throughout the area.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination revealed the first identified point of contact (FIPC) on the southern face of a ridge within Millard Canyon, about 15 feet below the peak at an elevation of 4,800 feet msl. The wreckage distribution path extended over the peak and downslope on the northern face of the ridge, approximately 130 yards long, oriented on a magnetic heading of 360 degrees. The wreckage was extremely fragmented and scattered throughout thick vegetation. All primary flight controls were located.
On the southern side near the FIPC, investigators found portions of the right wing-tip fuel tank, right engine, right propeller, and various metal debris. The angle between the initial impact crater and the right propeller embedded in terrain was about 45 degrees. Portions of left and right ailerons, rudder, elevator, left and right wing, and fuselage were fragmented and scattered on the northern slope. The wreckage was recovered to Air Transport in Phoenix, Arizona, for further examination.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Riverside County Sheriff's Coroner's Office conducted an autopsy on the pilot, determining the cause of death as "multiple blunt force trauma." No toxicology tests were performed on the pilot.
Tests and Research
Examination of recovered airframe and flight control system components revealed no evidence of preimpact anomalies. The left propeller separated from the engine crankshaft by a fracture just behind the propeller flange; the flange remained attached to the hub. The crankshaft fracture exhibited 45-degree shear lips with angular and grainy features; no material smearing was observed on the fracture faces. The three blades remained in clamps and attached to the hub normally. No chordwise scoring perpendicular to the blade span was observed; scratches were chaotic multidirectional spanwise and angled scratches. Blade L1 had minor leading edge nicks and was smoothly curved toward the face side with a tip end twist opposite the cambered side. Blade L2 had a large nick in the tip end leading edge and exhibited a trailing edge sine wave pattern with a tip end twist opposite the cambered side. Blade L3 displayed a tip end curl and twist opposite the cambered side, with minor leading edge damage and an observable trailing edge sine wave pattern.
The right propeller separated from the engine crankshaft by a fracture just behind the propeller flange; the flange remained attached to the hub. The crankshaft fracture exhibited massive smearing of the fracture face with bluing evident. All three blades remained in clamps and attached to the hub normally. Blades were lettered A through C; all exhibited extensive leading edge damage, chordwise scoring, and trailing edge sine wave patterns. Blade RA had a 1.25-inch diameter leading edge gouge and was smoothly curved toward the face side with a tip end twist opposite the cambered side. Blade RB had a large gouge in the tip end leading edge and exhibited a trailing edge sine wave pattern with a tip end twist opposite the cambered side. Blade RC displayed a tip end curl and twist opposite the cambered side, with massive leading edge damage and an observable trailing edge sine wave pattern.
Examination of the left and right engines revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.