Fallbrook Community Airpa Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fallbrook, California 92028
Thursday, December 30, 1999 18:20 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot intended to land at Oceanside, but diverted to Fallbrook, California, because of the weather. As the pilot turned onto the final approach course, he noted that the airplane was on the VASI (visual approach slope indicator) directed glide path, and completed the before landing checklist. He then noticed the VASI lights were red, indicating the airplane was below the proper glide path. He added full power and pulled up, then struck the ground about 20 feet short of the runway, separating the landing gear from the airplane. The pilot stated to FAA inspectors that he had misjudged the visual approach.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudged altitude and distance during a night landing approach, which resulted in an undershoot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/30/1999
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City FALLBROOK
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92028
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport FALLBROOK COMMUNITY AIRPA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L18
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 708
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID NFG
Elevation of weather observation facility 77
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 52
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 50
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11171
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 30 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2001 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1412T
NTSB Number LAX00LA065
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-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7240119
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 23 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4996
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALBERT ZAPPIA
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City SAN MARCUS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92065
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 CVO
Departure City CORVALIS
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code L18
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 1 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2160
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --