Mcclellan-Palomar Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlsbad, California 92008
Wednesday, June 15, 1994 14:34 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT 2 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, STATING THAT HE HAD LOST AN ENGINE AND NEEDED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO ROUGH, BRUSH-COVERED TERRAIN AND THEN STRUCK A LARGE DIRT BERM, ABOUT 1-1/2 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINES DID NOT REVEAL ANY OBVIOUS MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE FUEL WAS CORRECT. COMBUSTION CHAMBER SIGNATURES INDICATED THAT THE ENGINES WERE OPERATED AT A LEAN OR MILD DETONATION CONDITION. THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED ABOUT 30 DEGREES AND THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED. THE SURVIVING PASSENGER COULD NOT RECALL ANY DRAMATIC ENGINE PROBLEMS, ONLY THAT THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT AND FRONT SEAT PASSENGER WERE NOT WEARING SHOULDER HARNESSES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RAISE THE FLAPS AND MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/15/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1434
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CARLSBAD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92008
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MCCLELLAN-PALOMAR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRQ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 45
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1434 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID CRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 328
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1273
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 15 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1615
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:29AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N421AG
NTSB Number LAX94FA257
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 421C
Aircraft Series Identifier 421C
Aircraft Serial Number 421C-0843
Certified Max Gross Weight 7450
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 13 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 2943
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALEXANDER GRECO, TRUSTEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 460700
Aircraft Owner City ESCONDIDO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92046
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALEXANDER GRECO
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 117 STATE ST.
Operator City ESCONDIDO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92029
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1431
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LAS
Destination City LAS VEGAS
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --