Date & Time:
Nov 23, 1968 at 1959 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
N7666
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Los Angeles - Santa Ana
MSN:
148
YOM:
1968
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
7
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total hours on type:
234
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Los Angeles, the crew started the descent to Santa Ana Airport when he encountered poor visibility due low clouds and fog. On short final, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck a 30 feet steel light pole located along the Costa Mesa Freeway. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed in flames 1,8 mile short of runway 20R threshold. The aircraft was totally destroyed and none of the nine occupants survived the crash.
Probable cause:
The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- Improper IFR operation,
- The pilot-in-command misjudged altitude,
- Low ceiling and foggy conditions,
- Visibility limited to 3/4 mile or less.
- Improper IFR operation,
- The pilot-in-command misjudged altitude,
- Low ceiling and foggy conditions,
- Visibility limited to 3/4 mile or less.
Final Report:
N7666.pdf109.01 KB
