Bakersfield - Kernville

On May 19, 1996 at 10:18 AM, Bakersfield - Kernville experienced a crash involving Cessna 414 Chancellor, operated by Daniel E. Smith, with the event recorded near Kernville California.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Recorded radar data showed the aircraft was flying in an area of mountainous terrain. Mountain tops in the area were reported to be obscured. Radar data showed that the aircraft first descended to a low altitude as it flew up a valley, then it climbed until impacting rising terrain about 7,200 feet msl. Wreckage was scattered over 300 feet up the mountain slope. About 32 miles southwest at Bakersfield (elevation 507 feet), the 1000 pdt weather was in part: 4500 feet scattered, 6000 feet overcase, visibility 20 miles, wind from 260 degrees at 10 knots. Nearby residents reported that the mountain was obscured in clouds at the time of the accident. During postmortem toxicology tests, a low level of ethanol (23 mg/dl) was detected in muscle fluid specimen, probably from post-mortem production. No ethanol was detected in brain fluid.

Aircraft reference details include registration N111AH, MSN 414-0089, year of manufacture 1970.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 35.7331°, -118.4340°.