Ramona Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ramona, California 92065
Sunday, April 4, 1999 12:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he flew to Ramona to practice takeoffs and landings. During the accident sequence, the aircraft was on short final and configured with full flaps at a normal approach speed when a very high sink rate suddenly developed. The pilot said he was unable to arrest the descent before colliding with the ground. He further stated that during the prior landings, the winds had been variable 10 degrees or more on either side of the runway heading and he believed he encountered a wind shear. The aviation surface weather observation (METAR) at Ramona taken 11 minutes after the accident reported winds from 260 at 7 knots, variable from 230 to 290 degrees.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin to compensate for the variable wind conditions existing at the time of the landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/4/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RAMONA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92065
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RAMONA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RNM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1393
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1256 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RNM
Elevation of weather observation facility 1393
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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) 1249
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 4 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1308
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N756CF
NTSB Number LAX99LA139
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model U206G
Aircraft Series Identifier U206G
Aircraft Serial Number U20603978
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 18 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 2449
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MEYERS & POLLARD PC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 675 W. FOOTHILL BLVD., STE 200
Aircraft Owner City CLAREMONT
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91711
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PINNACLE AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2016 PALOMAR AIRPORT ROAD, #D
Operator City CARLSBAD
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92008
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 1200
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RNM
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --