Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Catalina Island, California 90704
Sunday, May 12, 1991 16:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A PLEASURE FLIGHT THE PILOT, AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS FLEW FROM CATALINA TO SAN DIEGO, CA. DURING THE FLIGHT THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DESCEND TO THE EARTH'S SURFACE. THE NOSE WHEEL AND THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL COLLIDED WITH THE WATER. AS A RESULT, THE NOSE GEAR BENT AFT AND THE LEFT WHEEL ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE STRUT. THE IMPACT ALSO RESULTED IN THE STRUT'S WING ATTACHMENT ASSEMBLY BEING PUSHED UPWARD THROUGH THE CAMBERED SURFACE OF THE WING. THE PILOT ORIGINALLY ASSERTED THAT THE MISHAP OCCURRED DURING A ROUGH TAKEOFF. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY ASSERTED THAT THE DAMAGE OCCURRED UPON COLLIDING WITH THE OCEAN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE ALTITUDE AND INTENTIONAL LOW FLYING WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE CRUISING INTO THE WATER. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR RELATED TO THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGMENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CATALINA ISLAND
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90704
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 653
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44918
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4291V
NTSB Number LAX91LA212
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8390023
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Unknown
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 PLUS ONE FLYERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 87077
Operator City SAN DIEGO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92138
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 AVX
Departure City AVALON
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1620
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MYF
Destination City SAN DIEGO
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 --