Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ojai, California 93023
Thursday, June 28, 1990 12:12 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NAVY PILOT HAD RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO DESCEND FROM 9,000 FT TO 5,000 FT ON A SOUTH-EASTERLY COURSE. THE WESTBOUND BELLANCA WAS CRUISING IN LEVEL FLIGHT AT 8,500 FT. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED. WHEN THE TWO AIRPLANES WERE BETWEEN 100-300 FT OF EACH OTHER, THE NAVY PILOT OBSERVED THE TARGET AND ABRUPTLY PULLED UP. THE BELLANCA PASSED BENEATH THE F-14 AND ENCOUNTERED ITS WAKE. BOTH AIRPLANES LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE BELLANCA'S RIGHT WING'S REAR MAIN WOODEN SPAR WAS FOUND BROKEN. AT THE TIME, THE F-14 WAS BEING RADAR CONTROLLED BY A TRAINEE CONTROLLER UNDER DIRECT SUPERVISION. THE SUPERVISOR HAD OBSERVED THE POSSIBLE TRAFFIC CONFLICT, AND HAD DIRECTED THE TRAINEE TO INFORM THE F-14. RESPONDING TO THE ADVISORY, THE PILOT OF THE F-14 OBSERVED THE TRAFFIC AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

STRUCTURAL DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY THE BELLANCA, N39843, AS A RESULT OF ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE DURING A NEAR-COLLISION WITH A NAVY F-14A.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1212
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City OJAI
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93023
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
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) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2008
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44562
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 #2

Aircraft Registration Number N39843 USN
NTSB Number LAX90FA233A LAX90FA233B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model 17-30A F-14A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A F-14A
Aircraft Serial Number 73-30A 159426
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325 69800
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil Military
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 2
Number of Engines 1 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Unknown
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0 0
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown 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 MCNARY, JACQUELINE W & JAMES U.S. NAVY
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address 3378 LEDGEWOOD DR. NAS POINT MUGU
Operator City HOLLYWOOD POINT MUGU
Operator State CA CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90068 930425000
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code VNY NTD
Departure City VAN NUYS NAS POINT MUGU
Departure State CA CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1153 1115
Departure Time Zone PDT PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code MRY NTD
Destination City MONTEREY NAS POINT MUGU
Destination State CA CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise Descent
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --