Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Diego, California 92135
Saturday, October 22, 1983 19:17 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER DEPARTING NORTH ISLAND NAS (NAVAL AIR STATION), THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE FREQUENCIES, BUT THE MEGAHERTZ (MHZ) TUNING KNOB CAME OFF AT A SETTING OF 122.1 MHZ. HE COULD STILL USE THE KNOB FOR TUNING TENTHS OF A MHZ, SO HE CONTACTED SAN DIEGO FSS ON 122.1 MHZ & ADVISED OF HIS SITUATION. HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT VIOLATING THE MEXICAN BORDER & NEARBY CONTROL AREAS & WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HEAVY NAVY JET TRAFFIC AT THE NAS AS WELL. THEREFORE, THE PLT ASKED THE FSS TO OBTAIN CLEARANCE FOR HIM TO RETURN TO NORTH ISLAND FOR LANDING. IN THE MEANTIME, THE PLT FLEW OUT OVER THE OCEAN TO WAIT FOR A CLEARANCE. WHEN THE CLEARANCE WAS RECEIVED, HE TURNED THE ACFT TO PROCEED TOWARD NORTH ISLAND & BEGAN HIS PRELANDING CHECKS. HE ROLLED OUT OF THE TURN WITH THE GEAR DOWN & THE LANDING LIGHT ON. HE FELT CERTAIN THAT HE WAS AT ABOUT 1000 FT ABOVE THE SURFACE, BUT AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE WATER. THE OCCUPANTS EGRESSED FROM THE ACFT BEFORE IT SANK & WERE PICKED UP BY A FISHING BOAT, HRS LATER. THERE WAS FOG, HAZE & 2 MI VIS SW OF NORTH ISLAND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/22/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1917
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN DIEGO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92135
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 10
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 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 195
Airport Elevation 20
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 15
Weather Observation Facility ID NZY
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 796
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2491
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22810
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5021S
NTSB Number LAX84LA027
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R35755
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Apr 26 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 3912
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEON H. OWER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1612 ALPINE TERRACE RD
Aircraft Owner City ALPINE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92001
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORTH ISLAND NAVY FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BLDG 396, USNAS NORTH ISLAND
Operator City SAN DIEGO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92135
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 NZY
Departure City SAN DIEGO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MYF
Destination City SAN DIEGO
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 8:06AM
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 --