Hesperia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hesperia, California 92345
Thursday, July 20, 1989 21:09 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES SAID THAT AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT FLEW A CURVING RIGHT HAND FLIGHT PATH AT LOW ALTITUDE BACK TOWARD THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY USED FOR DEPARTURE. AT A POINT CORRESPONDING TO A MODIFIED AND EXTENDED RIGHT BASE LEG FOR THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A HIGH TENSION POWER LINE AT AN ALTITUDE OF 32 FT AGL. AT THE TIME OF WIRE CONTACT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING PARALLEL WITH THE POWER LINE. A POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT. EXTENSIVE EXAMINATION OF THE SURVIVING WRECKAGE COMPONENTS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. AUTOMOTIVE FUEL OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN OR QUALITY WAS PROBABLY BEING USED IN THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT AN APPROVED STC. ACCORDING TO A SECOND HAND ACCOUNT FROM THE SURVIVING CHILD PASSENGER, THE TWO PILOTS BEGAN 'FIGHTING OVER THE CONTROLS' AFTER TAKEOFF, WITH ONE PILOT REPORTEDLY TELLING THE OTHER THAT 'HE TURNED THE WRONG WAY.' THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A DARK NIGHT OVER AN AREA WITH NO GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH A POWER LINE WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE ON A DARK NIGHT OVER AN AREA WITH FEW GROUND REFERENCE LIGHTS. THE REASONS FOR THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT PATH AND ALTITUDE PROFILE ARE UNDETERMINED. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE APPARENT DISAGREEMENT WHICH OCCURRED BETWEEN THE TWO PILOTS DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT SEQUENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2109
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HESPERIA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92345
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HESPERIA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L26
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 3390
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2055 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 358
Weather Observation Facility ID VCV
Elevation of weather observation facility 2875
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6200
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 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2133
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41721
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:52PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30039
NTSB Number LAX89FA241
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17701042
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 May 30 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1520
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BILLY R. FUQUA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 14502 HILLCREST DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City FONTANA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92335
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RENE G. MUNSEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1352 W. FIFTH STREET
Operator City ONTARIO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91762
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code L26
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2108
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CCB
Destination City UPLAND
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 3910
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --