Santa Barbara Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Goleta, California 93117
Thursday, May 17, 1990 21:31 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST FROM VISUAL CONTACT BY THE TOWER WHILE PERFORMING NIGHT TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS, AND PRESUMED TO HAVE CRASHED INTO THE OCEAN. AMOUNG THE FEW ITEMS RECOVERED WERE A PAIR OF WHEEL CHOCKS WITH THE AIRCRAFT'S NUMBER. DEPARTURE FROM RWY 15R IS OUT OVER THE OCEAN. THE PILOT'S LAST LOGGED NIGHT TIME WAS 9/89 AND CONSISTED OF 0.2 HRS. THE PILOT'S TOTAL LOGGED NIGHT TIME WAS 6.7 HRS, 6 OF WHICH WERE DUAL. INJURIES PRESUMED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DARK NIGHT AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/17/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2131
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City GOLETA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93117
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SANTA BARBARA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SBA
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 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2142 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID SBA
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1444
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 18 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2150
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42754
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7156S
NTSB Number LAX90LA182
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 150H
Aircraft Series Identifier 150H
Aircraft Serial Number 15067856
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WHITEHEAD, RONALD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 160 DR. N. FAIRVIEW AVE. #292
Operator City GOLETA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93117
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code SBA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2114
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 15R
Runway Length 4183
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --