Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mexicali Mexico
Sunday, November 15, 1987 18:15 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CESSNA 441 OPERATED BY THE USCS COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE ON A AUTHORIZED NIGHT TACTICAL FLIGHT. THE COPILOT DID NOT MEET THE CURRENCY STANDARDS AS REQUIRED BY USCS AND WAS NOT QUALIFIED IN THE ACFT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS AND CONTINUED TO ASTRONOMICAL TWILIGHT. THE PILOTS DID NOT DARK ADAPT PREVIOUS TO THE NIGHT CONDITIONS. DARK ADAPTION WAS IMPEDED BY FLIGHT THROUGH VARIOUS LIGHT CONDITIONS CREATED BY TERRAIN AND AMBIENT LIGHT LEVELS. WITH NIGHT VISION IMPEDED THE PILOT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DINSTINGUISH RELIEF OF THE TERRAIN. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SMALL RIDGE THAT ABRUPTLY ROSE 300 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/15/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City MEXICALI
Event State --
Event Country MEXICO
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1752 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 27
Weather Observation Facility ID IPL
Elevation of weather observation facility 56
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2392
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 15 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36388
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2003 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2484B
NTSB Number LAX88FA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 441
Aircraft Series Identifier 441
Aircraft Serial Number 441-0112
Certified Max Gross Weight 9925
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/Foreign Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Nov 5 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 1461
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name U. S. CUSTOMS SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City WASHINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NZY
Departure City SAN DIEGO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1520
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PSP
Destination City PALM SPRINGS
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --