Big Bear City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Bear, California 93214
Friday, December 18, 1998 15:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness at the airport reported that the aircraft flared approximately 10 feet above the runway, stalled, and hit the runway hard. Examination of the airplane revealed that the landing gear structural mounting bolts were elongated, the engine mounts and both main spars were bent. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudged landing flare, which lead to an inadvertent stall/mush 10 feet above the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/18/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BIG BEAR
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93214
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BIG BEAR CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L35
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 6748
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 Day
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) 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) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 8
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) 1867
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 18 1998 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 11 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5413S
NTSB Number LAX99LA055
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-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7105140
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Nov 19 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 6078
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AERO HAVEN INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2799
Aircraft Owner City BIG BEAR CITY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92314
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEVE ALVAREZ
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2864
Operator City BIG BEAR LAKE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92315
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 IFP
Departure City LAKE HAVASU
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code L35
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 26
Runway Length 5850
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --