Nut Tree Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vacaville, California 95688
Saturday, July 24, 1993 13:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE LOCAL CONTROLLER CLEARED THE FLIGHT FOR A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 20 TO FOLLOW A LARGE HELICOPTER. THE CONTROLLER CAUTIONED THE PILOT OF POSSIBLE EXISTING WAKE TURBULENCE. WHILE NEARING THE THRESHOLD THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED SOME TURBULENCE AND THE PILOT INITIATED A GO AROUND. DURING THE GO AROUND THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED MORE SEVERE TURBULENCE AND COULD NOT CONTROL THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND SKIDDED TO A STOP. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE SURFACE WINDS WERE FROM 180 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 15 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY FAILING TO ALLOW ENOUGH TIME FOR THE ROTOR WASH TO DISSIPATE BEFORE ATTEMPTING THE APPROACH. THE WAKE TURBULENCE (ROTOR WASH) WAS A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City VACAVILLE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95688
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NUT TREE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O45
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 113
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 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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 440
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1445
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50425
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51409
NTSB Number LAX93LA298
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17274309
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 22 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 3101
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LOOSLEY, WILFRED & RODNEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 137 HARTFORD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City VACAVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95688
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PACIFIC FLIGHT SERVICES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 300 COUNTY AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City VACAVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95688
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Approach
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 3800
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --