Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tranquillity, California 93668
Thursday, August 10, 1989 23:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING A NIGHT AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT AND WAS LANDING AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. ON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK SOME WEEDS CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO EXIT THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT MAKING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL NOT POSSIBLE. BOTH MAIN LANDING GEARS COLLAPSED WHEN THE AIRPLANE ENTERED THE SOFT TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S VISUAL LOOK-OUT WAS INADEQUATE AND THAT HE FAILED TO SEE THE HIGH VEGETATION UPON LANDING. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT ARE DARK NIGHT AND HIGH VEGETATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2315
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TRANQUILLITY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93668
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
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
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 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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 480
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2218
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 11 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41979
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 N4072X
NTSB Number LAX89DVA09
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERO COMMANDER
Aircraft Model S2R
Aircraft Series Identifier S2R
Aircraft Serial Number 1915R
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 10 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 155
Airframe Hours 5150
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN & GAIL WILLIAMS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 15418 WEST "C"
Aircraft Owner City KERMAN
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93630
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MID-CAL AG AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 PXIG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City KERMAN
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2230
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --