Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Big Bear City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Big Bear City, California 92314
Sunday, February 27, 2000 11:45 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Approaching runway 26, the pilot was advised by airport personnel on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) that the automated weather observing system (AWOS) indicated the wind was 13 knots with gusts to 28 knots. Also, its direction was variable from 170 to 230 degrees. The pilot reported that he slowed the airplane's approach speed to 90 knots and extended the flaps to the normal midrange position. About 30 feet above the runway he encountered a wind gust and lost control of the airplane. It impacted the runway, yawed sideways, and came to a stop with a collapsed landing gear and bent fuselage. The airplane's manufacturer suggests in its "Pilot's Operating Manual," that in crosswind or high-wind conditions, a higher than normal (90 knot) approach speed be used and the pilot should consider using no flaps.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's selection of a final approach airspeed in variance with the manufacturer's recommendations, which was too slow for the gusty and variable crosswind conditions, which resulted in a stall/mush and a hard landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/27/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1145 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | BIG BEAR CITY |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 92314 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | BIG BEAR CITY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | L35 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 6748 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1200 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | L35 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6748 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 44 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 28 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 28 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10620 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 27 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1235 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 2 2001 8:45AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N15202 |
| NTSB Number | LAX00LA110 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-34-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-34-200 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 34-7350034 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4200 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 15 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 98 |
| Airframe Hours | 6608 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | EXOTIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3215 VISTA PACIFICA |
| Aircraft Owner City | VISTA |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92084 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | KENNETH K. GHEYSAR |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CRQ |
| Departure City | CARLSBAD |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1045 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | L35 |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 12 2001 4:01AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 26 |
| Runway Length | 5850 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |