Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Industry, California 90601
Saturday, May 6, 1989 2:46 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CESSNA 172 COLLIDED WITH THE STATIC ARM OF A 150 FOOT TALL TOWER USED TO SUPPORT POWER TRANSMISSION CABLES. NIGHT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN TRAVELING WESTBOUND PARALLELING A HWY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED MAKING A 180 DEGREE TURN AND DESCENDING. THE WEATHER WAS DESCRIBED AS FOGGY WITH AT LEAST 1 MILE VISIBILITY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED TO TURN LEFT ABRUPTLY AS IT STRUCK THE TOWER. THE CABLES AND SUPPORT TOWERS WERE DEPICTED ON THE SECTIONAL AERONAUTICAL CHART AND THE VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO ENSURE OBSTRUCTION CLEARANCE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, LOW CEILING, FOG, AND THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 246
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City INDUSTRY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90601
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
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 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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2267
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 305
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42167
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6129E
NTSB Number LAX89FA182
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 46229
Certified Max Gross Weight 2075
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 21 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 1994
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ORVILLE T. STOLL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7611 GRANADA DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City BUENA PARK
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90621
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 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 P06
Departure City BULLHEAD CITY
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 30
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FUL
Destination City FULLERTON
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --