Catalina Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Avalon, California 90704
Thursday, December 29, 1988 13:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING LANDING ROLL AT CATALINA AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE END OF RUNWAY 22, WENT DOWN A STEEP SLOPE AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS FIRST APPROACH HAD BEEN TOO HIGH, SO HE MADE A GO-AROUND AND RETURNED FOR LANDING. THE PLT SAID HE THEN MADE A NORMAL APPROACH AND LANDED 200-300 FEET PAST THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. HE STATED THAT, 'I APPLIED NORMAL AND EVEN BRAKING PRESSURE, BUT THE PLANE DID NOT RESPOND AS I EXPECTED. INSTEAD IT DECELERATED VERY SLOWLY.' A WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN THE LAST THIRD OF THE RUNWAY; HE STATED THAT THE PILOT'S APPROACH SEEMED TO BE FASTER THAN NORMAL. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES OF THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City AVALON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90704
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CATALINA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AVX
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 1602
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2113
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38620
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N28843
NTSB Number LAX89LA075
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
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 28-7916509
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 Nov 23 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 2922
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRUCE LEACH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19023 ALLINGHAM
Aircraft Owner City CERRITOS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90701
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AVIATION CLUBS OF FULLERTON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1889 W. COMMONWEALTH UNIT J
Operator City FULLERTON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90701
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 HHR
Departure City HAWTHORNE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 22
Runway Length 3240
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --