Twin Impacts Into Cabbage Patch, Cause Unknown

Two Santa Maria (CA) men died Friday when their southbound twin-engine airplane impacted a cabbage field, authorities said. No one was working in the field at the time.

Pilot Mark Thomas Poindexter, 44, and Gary William Hill, 52, died when Poindexter's Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche impacted into farmland near Highway 1 shortly before 5:57 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. NTSB and FAA investigators are still trying to figure out what happened.

Poindexter took off from Santa Maria Public Airport about 5 p.m. without a flight plan on file, the FAA said.

**Report created 2/24/03 Record 17**

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 9YB        Make/Model: PA30   Description: PA-30/39 Twin Comanche, Twin C
  Date: 02/22/2003     Time: 0210
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: SANTA MARIA   State: CA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES IN AN OPEN FIELD, 2 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, NIPOMO, SANTA MARIA,  CA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: METAR SMX 220151Z 33006KTS 10SM FEW200 13/09 A3005

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure  Phase: Unknown  Operation: General Aviation
  Departed: SANTA MARIA, CA   Dep Date: 02/22/2003   Dep. Time:
  Destination: UNK  Flt Plan: UNK   Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: DEPARTURE ROLL RUNWAY 30 AT SMX
  Last Clearance: CLRD FOR TAKEOFF
  FAA FSDO: VAN NUYS, CA  (WP01)   Entry date: 02/24/2003

FMI: www.ntsb.gov