Lake Havasu Palms Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Parker Dam, California 92267
Saturday, August 5, 1989 15:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER ARRIVING OVER LAKE HAVASU, THE PLT NOTED THAT HE STILL HAD ABOUT 2 HRS BEFORE HE WAS TO BE MET BY FRIENDS. HE DECIDED TO FLY ALONG THE LAKE FOR SOME SIGHT-SEEING. HE SPOTTED A SMALL AIRSTRIP WHICH WAS CLOSER TO HIS ULTIMATE DESTINATION & HE ELECTED TO LAND. THE PLT SAID HE ENTERED THE PATTERN FOR THE SOUTH BOUND RUNWAY & TOUCHED DOWN IN A NORMAL POSITION. JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HE NOTICED A 'RAIN EROSION DEPRESSION' ACROSS THE DIRT AIRSTRIP. HE ABORTED THE LANDING & PROCEEDED WITH A GO-AROUND. AT THAT POINT, HE SAW A LARGE ROCK HILL AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PLT SAID THAT AT THE RATE THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING IT WOULD NOT CLEAR THE HILL & HE BEGAN A LEFT TURN TO AVOID THE RISING TERRAIN. DURING THE TURN, THE LEFT WING HIT THE GROUND & THE ACFT CRASHED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DELAY IN MAKING A GO-AROUND, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN DURING THE ABORTED LANDING. THE RUNWAY/TERRAIN CONDITION WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1555
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 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE HAVASU PALMS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 500
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 42
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 3300
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1551
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1910
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39892
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5070H
NTSB Number LAX89LA264
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 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 18287858
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BUDINCICH, MICHAEL N.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 518 W. HIGHLAND AVENUE
Operator City SIERRA MADRE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91204
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 No
Departure Airport Code EMT
Departure City EL MONTE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1355
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --