Montgomery Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Diego, California 92123
Sunday, August 20, 1989 11:05 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A BEECH B35 COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING A FORCED LANDING, AFTER THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE PILOT STATED HE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 100 TO 150 FEET AGL. HE MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TOWARDS AN OPEN AREA. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE VEERED SIDEWAYS, LANDED HARD AND SLID TO A STOP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SERVICED WITH AUTOMOTIVE FUEL UNDER AN APPROVED SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATE. A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE EXAM REVEALED NO DAMAGE TO THE POWER PLANT. THE ENGINE WAS TESTED USING FUEL FROM ITS WING TANKS, THE ENGINE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE PILOT STATED HE FELT HE COULD HAVE STARTED THE ENGINE IF HE HAD MORE ALTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS THAT RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: UNAVALIABLE ALTITUDE, REMEDIAL ACTION NOT POSSIBLE, UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, HIGH VEGETATION, AND THE TREES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/20/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1105
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN DIEGO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92123
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 MONTGOMERY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MYF
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 423
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1046 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID MYF
Elevation of weather observation facility 423
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1914
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 20 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1255
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41044
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 N8868A
NTSB Number LAX89LA282
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model B35
Aircraft Series Identifier B35
Aircraft Serial Number D-2523
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 11 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 167
Airframe Hours 4561
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOPPER, PHILLIP L
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12043 NORTH 53RD STREET
Aircraft Owner City GLENDALE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85304
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HOPPER, PHILLIP L.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 12043 NORTH 53RD STREET
Operator City GLENDALE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85304
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code MYF
Departure City SAN DIEGO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GEU
Destination City GLENDALE
Destination State AZ
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 28L
Runway Length 3399
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --