Mongomery Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Diego, California 92123
Sunday, June 22, 1997 16:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

When the landing gear was selected down, only the main landing gear down indicator lights illuminated. The CFI reported that he made extensive attempts to extend the nose landing gear using both the normal and emergency procedures, however, each attempt was unsuccessful. The CFI further reported that while making his landing approach to the runway, he directed his student to turn the fuel selector to the off position. Simultaneously, the CFI moved the fuel mixture control to the idle-cutoff position as the aircraft was crossing the runway threshold. A videotape was taken by a witness to the accident sequence. Review of this tape disclosed that the aircraft made a near wings level, descending approach to the runway. At approximately 30 feet agl, the aircraft's nose oscillated up and down, followed quickly by the onset of a high vertical descent rate. At this point, the aircraft's stabilator was in what appeared to be an almost full nose up. The aircraft impacted the runway surface in a near level, slight right wing down attitude. Examination of the aircraft revealed that a nose gear down assist spring assembly had separated from an upper attach point on the strut and was tangled up in the strut support linkage, preventing the strut from free-falling to the down position.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot-in-command's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall/mush.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/22/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN DIEGO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92123
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MONGOMERY FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MYF
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 423
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1651 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MYF
Elevation of weather observation facility 423
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 1500
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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) 1222
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 721
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 24 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1540
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6471C
NTSB Number LAX97LA222
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28R-201
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-201
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7837169
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 13 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 5390
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CALIFORNIA WINGS OF EL CAJON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 50 W. LIBERTY STREET # 880
Aircraft Owner City RENO
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89501
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MYF
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 28R
Runway Length 4600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --