Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Diego, California 92101
Tuesady, February 28, 1989 11:03 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO PROVIDE AIRBORNE INTERCEPT TRAINING FOR THE U.S. NAVY. THE MISSION HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED& THE ACCIDENT ACFT, FNT701, & ANOTHER ACFT, FNT492, WERE RETURNING HOME WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. RADAR DATA SHOWED FNT701 WAS AT 22,700 FT WHEN IT DESCENDED SLIGHTLY TO 22,500 FT. FNT701 REMAINED AT THIS ALT FOR APRX 2 MINS 37 SECS, THEN BEGAN A DESCENT WHICH RESULTED IN IMPACT WITH THE OCEAN. THIS FINAL DESCENT RATE INITIALLY WAS ABOUT 5,000 FPM & INCREASED TO 19,000 FPM. NO DISTRESS CALLS WERE MADE; HOWEVER, TWO TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECORDED WHICH TOTALED APRX 30 SECS. THERE WAS NO VOICE COMMUNICATION DURING THESE TRANSMISSIONS, ONLY AN OPEN MIKE & THE SOUND OF PROP(S). DURING THE 1ST TRANSMISSION, THE WORD 'OH' COULD BE HEARD. FNT492 OBSERVED FNT701 DESCEND BELOW THE CLOUDS & DID NOT DETECT ANY DISTRESS SIGNALS. LITTLE WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED DURING SEARCH & RESCUE OPERATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT INCAPACITATION FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/28/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1103
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN DIEGO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92101
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1083
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 28 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39360
Date of most recent change to record Jan 29 2003 11:12AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N701DM
NTSB Number BFO89LA023
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 MITSUBISHI
Aircraft Model MU-2B-20F
Aircraft Series Identifier MU-2B-20F
Aircraft Serial Number 149
Certified Max Gross Weight 9920
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Nov 3 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 138
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLIGHT INT'L OF FLORIA, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PATRICK HENRY AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City NEWPORT NEWS
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23602
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CRQ
Departure City CARLSBAD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone PST
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 29 2003 11:12AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --