Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesa, Arizona 85205
Tuesady, March 28, 1989 19:06 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PLT RPRTD THAT DURING FLT, SOMETHING SUDDENLY SMASHED THE WINDSHIELD. HE SAID HE TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT, THEN REGAINED IT AT LOW ALTITUDE. HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAINTAINING ALTITUDE & OPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A PICNIC AREA. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE & A FENCE POST. AN INSPN OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A BIRD STRIKE. HOWEVER, THERE WAS AN INDENTATION THAT RAN ALONE THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT WIND & ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS NO RPRTD TRANSMISSION WIRE DAMAGE, BUT WITNESSES IN THE AREA RPRTD SEEING AN ACFT FLYING AT LOW LEVEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION AT DUSK, THE TRANSMISSION LINE, AND THE OBSTRUCTIONS (TREE & FENCE) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/28/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1906
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MESA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85205
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
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 0
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 Dusk
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 298
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 28 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1940
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38840
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:32PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7592U
NTSB Number LAX89LA138
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 15077759
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1568
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STERN, ANTON JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4340 EAST EARLL DR.
Aircraft Owner City PHOENIX
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85018
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TIDD, ROBERT L
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7532 E CAPRI
Operator City MESA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85208
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 FFZ
Departure City MESA
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --