Salinas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salinas, California 93901
Saturday, July 24, 1993 20:28 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HIS POINT OF DEPARTURE AFTER A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP OF ABOUT 500 NAUTICAL MILES. WHILE ON A STRAIGHT-IN LANDING APPROACH ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN SOFT TERRAIN. THE NOSE GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AND FUSELAGE WERE DAMAGED. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT WHEN PLACED ON A TEST STAND, IT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An undetermined loss of engine power during the final approach phase of landing resulting in a collision with terrain during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2028
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SALINAS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93901
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 SALINAS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SNS
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 130
Airport Elevation 84
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2052 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID SNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 84
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1445
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 21 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1450
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
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 N9520X
NTSB Number LAX93LA363
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 210A
Aircraft Series Identifier 210A
Aircraft Serial Number 21057820
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 22 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 4670
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN GRIGG DEWITT,
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2 SALINAS ST.
Aircraft Owner City SALINAS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DEWITT, JOHN G.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address #2 SALINAS STREET
Operator City SALINAS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93901
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 FAT
Departure City FRESNO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1920
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 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 31
Runway Length 4825
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --