Gillespie Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Cajon, California 92020
Thursday, October 11, 1990 14:07 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS IN A CLOSED TRAFFIC PATTERN. AFTER TAKEOFF, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE PITCH UP DURING A TURN TO THE LEFT THEN PITCH DOWN AND DESCEND INTO THE GROUND. OTHER WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTER PRIOR TO THE NOSE PITCH UP. MOST WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE AIRCRAFT STALLING DURING THE TURN. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS AN ENGINE POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/11/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1407
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City EL CAJON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92020
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GILLESPIE FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SEE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 385
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1408 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 255
Weather Observation Facility ID SEE
Elevation of weather observation facility 385
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1829
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 11 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1425
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43619
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6147J
NTSB Number LAX91DUM01
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7625223
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 15 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 5562
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NATIONAL AIR COLLEGE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3760 GLEN H CURTIS ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SAN DIEGO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92108
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NATIONAL AIR COLLEGE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3760 GLEN H. CURTISS ROAD
Operator City SAN DIEGO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92108
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 1357
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 27L
Runway Length 2737
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --