Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lompoc Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lompoc, California 93436
Wednesday, December 10, 2008 14:40 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While on final approach for landing, the airplane impacted a power line about 1/3 mile from the runway threshold. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane approaching the power line at a "very slow" speed, about 50 feet above the ground. The airplane passed between the upper and lower wires of the power line, impacted the lower wires, then collided with the ground in a flat, cultivated field. No evidence of any preimpact discrepancies was found during examination of the airframe. Although several anomalies were noted with the engine's ignition system, they would not have prevented the engine from operating and producing power. The minimal damage to the propeller suggests the engine was operating at a low power setting at the time of ground impact. The throttle was found in the idle position, and since no mechanical reason for a loss of power was found, it is likely the pilot intentionally reduced power. He did not have a current medical certificate or biennial flight review; his previous medical certificate expired in July 2007, and his previous biennial flight review expired in September 2007. Toxicological evaluation detected hydrocodone (a prescription narcotic painkiller) and dihydrocodone (a prescription narcotic painkiller and metabolite of hydrocodone), but no blood was available for testing, and it was not determined when the pilot might last have taken medication or whether he could have been impaired by its use.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power line. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/10/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1440 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Lompoc |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 93436 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 343956N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1202803W |
| Event Location Airport | Lompoc |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LPC |
| 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 | 88 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1455 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 250 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LPC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 88 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| 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) | 25325 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 7 2009 6:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6461E |
| NTSB Number | WPR09LA056 |
| 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 | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 46561 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2200 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 9 |
| Airframe Hours | 4581 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | James S. Foley |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Lompoc |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 93436 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | James S. Foley |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Lompoc |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 93436 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | LPC |
| Departure City | Lompoc |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | LPC |
| Destination City | Lompoc |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 7 2009 5:57PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 25 |
| Runway Length | 4600 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |