Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Diego, California 92112
Wednesday, July 23, 1986 14:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CESSNA 150D COLLIDED WITH THE PACIFIC OCEAN WHILE SPOTTING FISH APPROXIMATELY 5 MI FROM THE COAST. THE ACFT OWNER AND OPERATOR INDICATED THAT THE PLT WAS FAA LICENSED AND CURRENT. FAA RECORDS REVEALED THE PLT WAS ISSUED A STUDENT PLT CERTIFICATED ALONG WITH HIS THIRD CLASS MEDICAL ON MAY 8, 1986. THE ACFT WAS SPOTTING FISH FOR A FISHING VESSEL ALSO OWNED BY THE ACFT OPERATOR. THE ACFT NORMALLY CIRCLED THE BOAT AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FT AGL AND REPORTED FISH SIGHTINGS VIA THE RADIO. THE FISHING VESSEL CREWMEMBERS HEARD THE ACFT IMPACT THE WATER APPROXIMATELY 100 FT FROM THE SHIP, BUT DID NOT SEE IT. THE ACFT WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE SHIP VIA RADIO AND THERE WAS NO DISTRESS CALL. A CREWMEMBER STATED THERE DID NOT SEEM TO BE ANY CHANGE IN THE ENGINE NOISE PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE OPERATOR ALSO INDICATED THAT THE ACFT WAS LOST AT SEA. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT SANK IN APPROXIMATELY 2,600 FEET OF WATER. THE STUDENT PLT IS MISSING AND PRESUMABLY FATALLY INJURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1420
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN DIEGO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92112
Event Date Year 1986
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
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 1455 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID SDM
Elevation of weather observation facility 521
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1740
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1455
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32171
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5917T
NTSB Number LAX86LA302
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150D
Aircraft Series Identifier 150D
Aircraft Serial Number 15060617
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 24 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN A. KASTLUNGER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 724 A G STREET
Aircraft Owner City CHULA VISTA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92010
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SDM
Departure City SAN DIEGO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --