At 06:03 PST, a Cessna 150J struck a guide wire on a radio tower near Redwood City. The pilot was killed. The pilot, who used his plane to commute to work, departed Sacramento for San Carlos Airport. A witness said he watched the accident airplane fly directly over his house to the northeast, away from the airport. The witness, who held a commercial rating, said the airplane was approximately 300 to 400 feet agl and flying at cruise power below a fog bank. Another witness heard the crash. The Redwood City Fire Department responded to the scene and had to initiate a foot search for the airplane due to the dense fog in the area. They said that they initially were unable to see any part of the lighted radio tower due to the fog. The pilot received two weather briefings in which he was told that VFR flight was not recommended.
Feb. 7, Redwood City, Calif. / Cessna 150J
At 06:03 PST, a Cessna 150J struck a guide wire on a radio tower near Redwood City. The pilot was killed. The pilot, who used his plane to commute to work, departed Sacramento for San Carlos Airport. A witness said he watched the accident airplane fly directly over his house to the northeast, away from the airport. The witness, who held a commercial rating, said the airplane was approximately 300 to 400 feet agl and flying at cruise power below a fog bank. Another witness heard the crash. The Redwood City Fire Department responded to the scene and had to initiate a foot search for the airplane due to the dense fog in the area. They said that they initially were unable to see any part of the...
Key Takeaways:
- A Cessna 150J pilot was killed after striking a radio tower guide wire near Redwood City in dense fog.
- The pilot had received two prior weather briefings recommending against VFR flight due to the conditions.
- Witnesses observed the aircraft flying low (300-400 feet AGL) below a fog bank, off course from its destination.
- Extremely poor visibility due to dense fog was a significant factor, obscuring the tower and hindering emergency response.
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