Santa Paula Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Paula, California 93060
Saturday, November 20, 1993 19:15 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING A NIGHT VISUAL FLIGHT RULES PERSONAL FLIGHT AT HIS HOME AIRPORT. THE AIRPORT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A RUNWAY/AIRPORT LIGHTING SYSTEM AND NIGHT OPERATIONS ARE PROHIBITED. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT BECAME DISTRACTED BY TWO AUTOMOBILES NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THIS DISTRACTION CAUSED THE PILOT TO DESCEND BELOW THE NORMAL GLIDE PATH. WHEN THE PILOT REALIZED HE WAS TOO LOW, HE BEGAN A GO-AROUND. THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING STRUCK A POWER POLE GUY WIRE AS IT BEGAN TO CLIMB.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES PROHIBITING NIGHT OPERATIONS AT THE AIRPORT AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH. THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION WAS A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SANTA PAULA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93060
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SANTA PAULA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SZP
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 245
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 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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 1755
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 20 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6405Q
NTSB Number LAX94LA055
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20B
Aircraft Series Identifier M20B
Aircraft Serial Number 670145
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Nov 19 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HELLNER, JOHN F.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 301 OJAI ROAD, #193
Operator City SANTA PAULA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93061
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 WHP
Departure City PACOIMA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1855
Departure Time Zone PST
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 4
Runway Length 2650
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --