Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Temecula, California 92593
Sunday, May 27, 2001 12:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While en route, following a roadway through a mountain valley and operating under visual flight rules in conditions of low ceiling and poor visibility, the airplane impacted marked power transmission wires approximately 120 feet above ground level. The airplane's windshield was broken out, the cabin ceiling and doorposts were deformed, and a wing strut was damaged. The pilot continued the flight to his intended destination, which was the nearest airport. Weather at the nearest reporting point, 14 miles distant and approximately 1,500 feet lower elevation, reported scattered clouds at 1,000 feet agl and overcast ceiling at 1,500 feet agl.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's intentional flight into adverse weather while operating under visual flight rules, his failure to maintain a cruising altitude sufficient to remain clear of power transmission wires, and his failure to maintain a visual lookout sufficient to see and avoid the power transmission wires.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/2001
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1255
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Temecula
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92593
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID KNFG
Elevation of weather observation facility 77
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.9
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11380
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 7 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 815
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 5 2002 9:58AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO San Diego, California

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N337GD
NTSB Number LAX01LA205
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 337G
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 33701921
Certified Max Gross Weight 4700
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 101
Airframe Hours 1166
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Donald J. Vierstra
Aircraft Owner Street Address on file
Aircraft Owner City Murrieta
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92564
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 SDM
Departure City SAN DIEGO
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1235
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code F70
Destination City MURRIETA/TEMECU
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 16 2002 5:13PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --