Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hayward, California 94541
Tuesady, January 15, 1991 8:56 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE 1700 HOUR INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT BETWEEN HAYWARD (HWD) AND SAN CARLOS (SQL) HAVING REPORTEDLY FLOWN THE ROUTE TO WORK OVER 100 TIMES. THE PILOT'S SQL DESTINATION DID NOT HAVE A PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT APPROACH. SO, THE PILOT PLANNED TO EXECUTE AN IFR APPROACH TO HWD AND THEN INITIALLY FLY UNDER SVFR TOWARD SQL. APPROACHING SQL THE PILOT PLANNED TO REQUEST A SVFR CLEARANCE INTO ITS CONTROL ZONE. WHILE FLYING ENROUTE THE PILOT WOULD BE OVER OPEN WATER IN UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE WHERE ONLY ONE MILE OF FLIGHT VISIBILITY WOULD BE REQUIRED. AFTER EXECUTING THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO HWD THE PILOT RECEIVED, AS PLANNED, THE REQUESTED CLEARANCE OUT OF ITS CONTROL ZONE. AFTER RECEIVING A SVFR CLEARANCE INTO SQL'S CONTROL ZONE THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND HE DESCENDED INTO THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY. AT THE TIME THE PILOT WAS IN HWD'S AIRSPACE, ITS WEATHER WAS, IN PART: 200 FOOT OVERCAST CEILING AND ONE MILE VISIBILITY IN FOG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER VFR PROCEDURES AND HIS MISJUDGED EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER IN DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS. ADDITIONAL FACTORS RELATED TO THE PRESENCE OF LOW CLOUDS AND TO THE RESTRICTED VISIBILITY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/15/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 856
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City HAYWARD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94541
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID HWD
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 961
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44806
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:13AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9721B
NTSB Number LAX91FA074
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 172RG
Aircraft Serial Number 172RG0991
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREGORD MCCARTNEY&DIETER KUECK
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 2, BOX 105
Aircraft Owner City LA HONDA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94020
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GREGORD MCCARTNEY&DIETER KUECK
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address ROUTE 2, BOX 105
Operator City LA HONDA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94020
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CCR
Departure City CONCORD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SQL
Destination City SAN CARLOS
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --