Lake Havasu Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Havasu, Arizona 86403
Sunday, July 1, 1990 18:20 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER LIFTOFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN PRIOR TO THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND HEAD TOWARDS A PORTION OF THE LAKE WHERE THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS HAD VISITED FRIENDS EARLIER IN THE DAY. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOW AND SLOW WITH A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHEN THE WINGS BEGAN TO ROCK BACK AND FORTH. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN THE WATER AFTER ABOUT 180 DEG OF ROTATION. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS ON THE PILOT WERE POSITIVE FOR ALCOHOL AT A REPORTED LEVEL OF 0.08%. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVER MAX GROSS WEIGHT BY ABOUT 8 LBS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 4,234 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, OVERWEIGHT AIRPLANE, AND THE PILOT'S ALCOHOL LEVEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City LAKE HAVASU
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86403
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE HAVASU
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LHV
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 483
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1600 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID EED
Elevation of weather observation facility 990
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 16000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 48
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1812
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43605
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 N2307Y
NTSB Number LAX90FA235
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 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17700107
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name REX H BURRESON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 537 YORBA ROAD
Aircraft Owner City PALM SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BURRESON, REX H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 357 YORBA RD.
Operator City PALM SPRINGS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92262
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1820
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PSP
Destination City PALM SPRINGS
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 5
Runway Length 6167
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --