Skylark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Elsinore, California 92330
Saturday, August 3, 1991 17:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE FLYING SOUTH OVER THE COLORADO RIVER NEAR NEEDLES, CA AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL WHILE ENROUTE TO LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ, THE PILOT FAILED TO SEE THE EAST/WEST TRAVERSING WIRES AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THEM. THE NOSE AND LEFT MAIN LANDING GEARS SEPARATED, BUT THE PILOT WAS STILL ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THE PILOT ELECTED TO DIVERT TO SKYLARK ARPT, LAKE ELSINORE, CA, HIS HOME BASE. UPON LANDING ON THE DIRT RUNWAY THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED TO THE LEFT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT FOR UNWARRANTED LOW FLYING AND POOR VISUAL LOOKOUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LAKE ELSINORE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92330
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SKYLARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L49
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1837
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45715
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2457L
NTSB Number LAX91LA345
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17255657
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 5621
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PICCIRILLI, RICHARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 27695 DURANT STREET
Aircraft Owner City SUN CITY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92381
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PICCIRILLI, RICHARD
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 27695 DURANT STREET
Operator City SUN CITY
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92381
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 P06
Departure City BULLHEAD CITY
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LHU
Destination City LAKE HAVASU CIT
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --