Big Bear City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Bear City, California 92134
Friday, September 8, 1989 16:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ADVISED BY UNICOM THAT RWY 7 WAS IN USE, ANTICIPATED WIND FROM NE. AFTER TOUCHDOWN HE FOUND WIND WAS FROM SW. PILOT ABORTED LANDING ATTEMPT, BUT LOST CONTROL AS LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. AIRPORT MANAGER REPORTED THAT LOCAL WIND DIRECTION WAS 'SQUIRRELLY' AND THAT THE WIND SOCKS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE RUNWAY WERE POINTING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. A DUST DEVIL WAS ALSO REPORTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT. PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED HE DID NOT OBSERVE WIND SOCK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BIG BEAR CITY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92134
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BIG BEAR CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L35
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 6750
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 225
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1650
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1745
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40555
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N252W
NTSB Number LAX89LA306
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 A185F
Aircraft Series Identifier A185F
Aircraft Serial Number 18503687
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 2
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 Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOWNEY CONSTURCTION, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1413 E STEAMBOAT DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City TEMPE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85283
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DOWNEY CONSTRUCTION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1413 E. STEAMBOAT DRIVE.
Operator City TEMPE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85283
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 MYF
Departure City SAN DIEGO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1550
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code L35
Destination City BIG BEAR CITY
Destination State CA
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 7
Runway Length 5850
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --