Palomar Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlsbad, California 92008
Sunday, July 23, 1995 14:23 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHEN THE PILOT APPROACHED THE DESTINATION AIRPORT HE REPORTED HIS POSITION TO THE LOCAL CONTROLLER. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO ENTER THE DOWNWIND LEG AND TO SQUAWK IDENT. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE TRANSPONDER IDENT MODE WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE CONTROLLER TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS NOT IN SIGHT AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO REPORT ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED AND CONFUSED. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE, THE CONTROLLER WAS ABLE TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE AND PROVIDE THE PILOT VERBAL GUIDANCE TO THE AIRPORT. AFTER MAKING ONE MISSED APPROACH, THE PILOT TOLD THE CONTROLLER HE HAD THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT. THE CONTROLLER CLEARED THE PILOT TO LAND. THE CONTROLLERS IN THE TOWER CAB AND ONE GROUND WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE'S FINAL APPROACH SPEED WAS FAST AND ITS FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 500 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, WENT DOWN THE EMBANKMENT, AND NOSED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's poorly planned approach, misjudged distance/altitude, and failure to make a go-around. The pilot inadvertently becoming lost and disoriented was a factor in this accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1423
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CARLSBAD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92008
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALOMAR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRQ
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 328
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1425 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 328
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 800
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1118
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7141J
NTSB Number LAX95LA266
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17273902
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Oct 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 1438
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CASIMIR T. SWICK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 514 E. VALLEY BLVD
Aircraft Owner City SAN GABRIEL
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91776
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 No
Departure Airport Code EMT
Departure City EL MONTE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1310
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 24
Runway Length 4700
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --