Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sacramento, California 95837
Monday, January 21, 1991 19:36 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACCIDENT SITE IS ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE SACRAMENTO AIRPORT NEAR THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE FOR RUNWAY 34L. THE TRACON TRACKED THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT AS IT PENETRATED THE ARSA AT 1300 FEET MSL ON A NW BOUND HEADING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO TURN WEST BOUND AS IT DESCENDED TO 800 FT MSL AND CROSS THE EXTENDED RUNWAY CENTER LINE BEHIND AN ARRIVING AMERICAN AIRLINES MD80. THE CESSNA WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR TO CROSS THE FLIGHT PATH OF THE MD80 1 MILE BEHIND AND 100 FT LOWER THAN THE TRANSPORT BEFORE IT ABRUPTLY DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR. CONTROLLERS ON DUTY IN THE ATCT SAID THEY SAW THE LIGHTS OF THE CESSNA PASS BEHIND AND JUST BELOW THE MD80, THEN IT ABRUPTLY DESCENDED TOWARD THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FLIGHT'S INADVERTANT ENCOUNTER WITH WAKE TURBULENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/21/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1936
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SACRAMENTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95837
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 1846 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID SMF
Elevation of weather observation facility 24
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 270
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43365
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:13AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N96306
NTSB Number LAX91LA078
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17276055
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PATTERSON AIRCRAFT CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 22670
Aircraft Owner City SACRAMENTO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95822
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PATTERSON AIRCRAFT CO.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 22670
Operator City SACRAMENTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95822
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RBL
Destination City RED BLUFF
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 --