Van Nuys - San Luis Obispo

On September 24, 1990 at 07:02 AM, Van Nuys - San Luis Obispo experienced a crash involving Cessna 500 Citation, operated by HiTech Helicopters, with the event recorded near San Luis Obispo California.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 2, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The flight was cleared for a loc runway 11 approach. About 3 minutes later, the 2nd-in-command (sic) reported '. . . We don't get the localizer can you see if we're on course.' The LAX ARTCC R-15 controller confirmed the flight was right of course and below the required altitude. The aircraft's mode C indicated an altitude of 1,400 feet; the controller advised the flight crew to maintain at least 2,300 feet until past the final approach fix (faf). The crew then replied that they were in VMC. Radar svc was terminated and a frequency change to tower was approved. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft hit a eucalyptus tree at about 90 feet agl, 2.05 miles from the approach end of the runway and about 195 feet right of the loc. Elevation of the crash site was 101 feet; minimum descent altitude (MDA) for the approach was 640 feet. The 0645 pdt weather was, in part: indefinite ceiling, 100 feet obscured, vis 1/8 mile with fog, wind from 220° at 4 kts. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the aircraft was found. All four occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N79DD, MSN 500-0254, year of manufacture 1975.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 35.3540°, -120.3757°.