Gillespie Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lakeside, California 92040
Monday, June 25, 2001 9:54 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot took off at about 0935 pacific daylight time. At 0945, the pilot had advised the radar controller that he was returning to the departure airport, and he stated that he was not feeling well. A minute later, during a subsequent transmission, the controller asked the pilot if he was feeling any better. The pilot's answer was unintelligible. Thereafter, at 0950, the pilot stated "Tower, get an ambulance to the field." Several eyewitnesses observed the airplane approaching the airport at a low altitude. As the airplane descended it entered a steep left bank and collided into the side of a parked truck. The airplane came to rest about 3.3 nm from the airport. In 1999, the manager of the FAA Aeromedical Certification Division had reviewed the pilot's medical information, which revealed a history of congestive heart failure and other ailments. The FAA determined the pilot was ineligible for issuance of a third-class aviation medical certificate. However upon the pilot's submission of additional medical information, the FAA granted authorization for special issuance of the requested third-class medical certificate. The certificate was subsequently renewed, and at the time of the accident it bore an expiration date of August 31, 2001. In the autopsy report the deputy medical examiner indicated that the "history of severe cardiac dysfunction and the findings of severe arteriosclerosis and myocardial scarring and granulation tissue suggest that the [the pilot's] incapacitation was likely due to an acute cardiac event."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Loss of control in flight due to cardiovascular incapacitation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/2001
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 954
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Lakeside
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92040
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 325018N
Event Location Longitude 1165432W
Event Location Airport Gillespie Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SEE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 243
Airport Elevation 387
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1005 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 243
Weather Observation Facility ID SEE
Elevation of weather observation facility 387
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 15528
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 25 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2004 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO San Diego, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N22CR
NTSB Number LAX01FA222
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 35-B33
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CD-435
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4538
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Gerald Paller & Dennis Dahlberg
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Phoenix
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85022
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Gerald Paller
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 --
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 SEE
Departure City El Cajon
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 935
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DVT
Destination City Deer Valley
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 26 2004 1:22PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27R
Runway Length 5341
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --