Watsonville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watsonville, California 95076
Sunday, January 30, 1994 18:20 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT FAILED TO REMOVE THE PITOT TUBE COVER BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE DARK NIGHT ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE AIRSPEED WAS NOT REGISTERING UNTIL THE AIRPLANE WAS NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY. TIRE SKID MARKS BEGAN 1,042 FEET BEFORE THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED WHEN IT ENTERED THE SOFT CLAY TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER ONTO ITS BACK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION BY FAILING TO REMOVE THE PITOT TUBE COVER AND DELAY IN HIS REMEDIAL ACTION BY NOT BEGINNING TO STOP THE AIRPLANE UNTIL IT WAS ABOUT 1,000 FEET BEFORE THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE SOFT TERRAIN AND THE COLLAPSED NOSE LANDING GEAR ARE FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/30/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City WATSONVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95076
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WVI
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 160
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 200
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 30 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:25AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N21106
NTSB Number LAX94LA109
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 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 18261417
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 13 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 5332
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCHWAB, PAUL/BARBARA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13770 HARDING
Aircraft Owner City SAN MARTIN
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95046
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code WVI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1820
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Q99
Destination City SAN MARTIN
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 4501
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --