Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oceanside, California 92054
Monday, July 31, 1989 10:05 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A WITNESS INDICATED THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY WHEN THE PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND. HE SAID THE FLAPS APPEARED TO BE IN THE FULL UP POSITION, AND THE NOSE WAS VERY HIGH AND THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE MUSHING. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD FULL THROTTLE BUT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB. HE SAID THAT WHEN HE REALIZED HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CLIMB OVER THE TREES, HE PULLED THE POWER OFF AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE INTO THE BUSHES AND TREES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO ATTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED DURING THE GO-AROUND. THE LACK OF AIRSPEED DID NOT PERMIT THE AIRPLANE TO CLIMB AND THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE INTO THE TREES. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT DELAYING THE GO-AROUND AFTER HE MISJUDGED THE TOUCHDOWN POINT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1005
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City OCEANSIDE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92054
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
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L32
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 50
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 Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
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) 29
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 609
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40119
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 N2933D
NTSB Number LAX89LA254
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7916550
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 18 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 2447
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SEARBY, PAUL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 656 LOMAS DE ORO
Aircraft Owner City OLIVEHAIN
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92024
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PAUL W. SEARBY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 656 LOMAS DE ORO
Operator City OLIVENHAIN
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92024
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 CRQ
Departure City CARLSBAD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 950
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code L32
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --