Yuba County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marysville, California 95901
Monday, March 19, 2007 16:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After departing Runway 14 the pilot extended his downwind leg for an incoming airplane. After sighting the incoming traffic and turning onto final approach, the pilot observed an unlighted approach light bar immediately in front of him, which the airplane subsequently "clipped". The airplane then impacted two more light bar standards prior to impacting terrain and coming to rest upright about 1,000 feet from the approach end of Runway 14. The pilot stated that if he had not extended his downwind and had activated the pilot controlled lighting, the accident would have been avoided. The airplane's firewall and left wing sustained substantial damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to maintain a proper glidepath while on final approach and his failure to maintain clearance, which resulted in an undershoot and subsequent collision with the runway's approach light standards. A factor was the approach light standards.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/2007
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Marysville
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95901
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 390587N
Event Location Longitude 1213418W
Event Location Airport Yuba County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MYV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 62
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 140
Weather Observation Facility ID MYV
Elevation of weather observation facility 62
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21921
NTSB Notification Source Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Mar 19 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2007 12:22PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Sacramento, California

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N231KZ
NTSB Number SEA07LA079
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney Aircraft
Aircraft Model M20K
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 25-0291
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2200
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name David B. Van Pelt
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Beaverton
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97007
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name David B. Van Pelt
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Yuba City
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 95993
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code MYV
Departure City Marysville
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1605
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MYV
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 16 2008 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 6006
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --