2 fatal · Piper PA-44-180 · 2004-05-11 · Julian, CA, USA
Event
NTSB number
LAX04FA205
Event ID
20040522X00629
Type
Accident
Date
2004-05-11
Location
Julian, CA, USA
Coordinates
33.138889, -116.584442
Injuries
Highest injury
FATL
Fatal
2
Serious
0
Minor
0
Uninjured
0
Total aboard
2
Aircraft
Make
Piper
Model
PA-44-180
Registration
N304PA
FAR Part
091
Engines
2
Damage
DEST
Conditions
Light
NDRK
Weather
VMC
Probable cause
The incorrect use of an abbreviated callsign by the TRACON sector radar controller to issue a descent clearance to N434PA and the sector controllers failure to detect that the clearance had been read back with the full callsign by the pilot of N304PA. Also causal was the pilots failure to question a clearance that descended them below the published Minimum En route Altitude (MEA). Contributing to the accident was the failure of both the Center and TRACON controllers to properly respond to the aural and visual Minimum Safe Altitude Warning System (MSAW) alert.