Havasu Palms Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Parker Dam, California 92267
Saturday, June 24, 1989 12:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT HE ENTERED A NORMAL LEFT HAND PATTERN FOR A LANDING AT THE DIRT AIRSTRIP, BUT WAS 'CUT OFF BY A ARMY HELICOPTER' THAT APPEARED SUDDENLY FROM BELOW. HE MANEUVERED TO AVOID A COLLISION & SUBSEQUENTLY ENTERED A WIDE RIGHT BASE TO THE AIRSTRIP. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK THE WIND SOCK WHILE IN THE PATTERN. REPORTEDLY, AFTER TOUCH DOWN, A STRONG GUST OF WIND PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY & IT COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL LARGE ROCKS. ALSO, THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER THE LANDING, 'THE WIND SOCK STOOD STRAIGHT OUT WITH A 90 DEGREE CROSS WIND' AT A SPEED HE ESTIMATED TO BE 18 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 25 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN WIND INFORMATION BEFORE LANDING. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/24/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PARKER DAM
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92267
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HAVASU PALMS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 91L
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 480
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) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 41
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 40
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 4
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1646
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 27 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40551
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1982K
NTSB Number LAX89LA226
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 T210L
Aircraft Series Identifier T210L
Aircraft Serial Number 21060807
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 20 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 3828
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GARY K GUNDERSEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3102 WARREN LANE
Aircraft Owner City COSTA MESA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92626
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GUNDERSEN, GARY K.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3102 WARREN LANE
Operator City COSTA MESA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92626
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 L66
Departure City CORONA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 91L
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 20
Runway Length 2400
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --