What happened
On February 5, 2020, a Cessna 140A, registration N9474A, was involved in a fatal accident near Columbia, California. The flight was being operated under Part 91 for personal purposes, with the intent of transporting a passenger to Pismo Beach for a business meeting and returning to Columbia Airport (O22) by 1700.
Radar data from the FAA showed the aircraft made several stops during the day, including Oceano County Airport (L52), New Coalinga Municipal Airport (C80), and Harris Ranch Airport (3O8). After departing Harris Ranch at 1702, the aircraft flew north at altitudes between 2,000 and 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl). As the airplane approached runway 35 at O22, it turned right for a straight-in approach and began a gradual descent. Radar tracking was lost approximately 0.75 nautical miles from the approach end of the runway.
The accident occurred approximately 39 minutes after sunset and 11 minutes after dusk. A witness near the site reported hearing a loud bang and seeing the airplane for about three seconds before a second bang and silence followed. The aircraft struck a 50-foot pine tree, causing the left wing to partially separate, and eventually came to rest inverted between two trees in a pasture.
There were 2 fatalities resulting from the crash.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the airframe and engine found no evidence of mechanical failure that would have prevented normal operation. While both fuel tanks were breached and approximately one gallon of fuel had drained from the left tank, the fuel showed no water contamination. The engine was found to have proper compression on all cylinders, and the magnetos were functional. The oil screen contained a small amount of metal shavings and organic debris, and organic matter was noted in the carburetor inlet screen, but no anomalies were found upon disassembly.
Findings
The investigation noted that the pilot had expressed a desire to complete the flight during daylight hours to avoid flying at night. The pilot likely did not see the trees in the flight path due to the darkness of the approach.