Rancho California Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Temecula, California 92390
Friday, September 2, 1988 15:48 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER LANDING HIS AIRCRAFT ON THE 3023 FOOT ASPHALT RUNWAY, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY APPROXIMATELY 635 FROM THE THRESHOLD. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND INITIATED AN ABORTED LANDING FROM THE OFF RUNWAY LOCATION. THE AIRCRAFT OVERFLEW ANOTHER AIRCRAFT THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AHEAD OF THE POINT WHERE THE ABORTED LANDING WAS INITIATED. THEN THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A METAL LADDER ATTACHED TO 24 FOOT HIGH COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN HIS FLIGHT PATH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY INITIATE A GO-AROUND DURING AN ABORTED LANDING. THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING, FAILURE TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY FOR THE ABORTED TAKEOFF, AND NOT ESTABLISHING THE PROPER RATE OF CLIMB DUE TO HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE FAILURE TO RAISE THE FLAPS ARE CONSIDERED FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1548
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TEMECULA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92390
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RANCHO CALIFORNIA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2LO
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 1015
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 334
Weather Observation Facility ID RIV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1538
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 38
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 4300
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 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2381
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 2 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39095
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4328Y
NTSB Number LAX88FA306
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 288416024
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 18 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 2089
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WELCH, PRESTON F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4265 BIRCHWOOD
Aircraft Owner City SEAL BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90740
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CALSTATE FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3409 LAKEWOOD BLVD
Operator City LONG BEACH
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90808
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 LGB
Departure City LONG BEACH
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1538
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 2L0
Destination City TEMECULA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 12
Runway Length 3023
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --