Agua Caliente Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Agua Caliente, California 92259
Sunday, July 5, 1992 9:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT THE PILOT SAID THAT HE LANDED AT THE AIRPORT AND TOOK OFF AGAIN TO PERFORM ONE MORE LANDING. ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT SAID HE DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT 'WAS SINKING TOO FAST AND WOULD LAND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.' HE SAID THAT HE 'ADDED FULL POWER AND TRIED TO BRING THE NOSE UP,' BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SETTLE AND STRUCK THE GROUND ABOUT 60 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. IN A VERBAL STATEMENT TO FAA INSPECTORS, THE PILOT SAID HE LET THE AIRCRAFT STALL ON SHORT FINAL. IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, HE SAID THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY MAINTAINING A 'HIGHER APPROACH SPEED.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE APPROACH AIRSPEED AND AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH CONDITION WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOTS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/5/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City AGUA CALIENTE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92259
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AGUA CALIENTE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L54
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 1220
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1700
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2842
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47235
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N78669
NTSB Number LAX92LA281
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 172K
Aircraft Series Identifier 172K
Aircraft Serial Number 17257711
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 15 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 85
Airframe Hours 2575
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CRUISE AIR AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2428 MONTECITO ROAD
Aircraft Owner City RAMONA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92065
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CRUISE AIR AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2428 MONTECITO ROAD
Operator City RAMONA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92065
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code L49
Departure City RAMONA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
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 Landing
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 29
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --